16 U.S.C. § 410jjj — Establishment

(a) In general This section creates Congaree National Park. Its purpose is to preserve a rare, nearly untouched southern hardwood forest. The forest sits in the Congaree River floodplain in Richland County, South Carolina. The park covers the area shown on a specific map — called the "Congaree Swamp National Monument" map, numbered CS-80,001-B, dated August 1976, and known as the Beidler Tract. That map is kept on file for the public to see at National Park Service offices. The Secretary of the Interior can make small changes to the boundary. To do this, the Secretary must first give written notice to the House and Senate Interior Committees, and then publish a revised map or description in the Federal Register. (b) Additional land The park also includes land shown on a second map, called the "Citizens Boundary Proposal for Congaree Swamp National Monument," numbered 178-80,009A and dated July 1988. This map is also kept on file at National Park Service offices. The Secretary can revise this map the same way described in (a). (c) Acquisition of additional land (1) In general — The Secretary may add more land to the park, described in paragraph (2) below, by accepting a donation, buying it (with donated or government money), transferring it from elsewhere, or trading for it. (2) Description of land — This added land is about 4,576 acres next to the park, shown on the "Congaree National Park Boundary Map," numbered 178/80015, dated August 2003. (3) Availability of map — This map is kept on file at National Park Service offices for public viewing. (4) Boundary revision — Once the Secretary gets any of this land, the Secretary must update the park's boundary to show it. (5) Administration — Any land gained this way becomes part of the park and is run the same way as the rest of the park. (6) Effect — Nothing in this section does any of these four things: (A) it does not change how private landowners next to the park may use their own land; (B) it does not take away South Carolina's power to regulate hunting, fishing, boating, and wildlife on private land or water outside the park; (C) it must not hurt economic development in the areas around the park; and (D) it does not change how the park is classified under section 7472 of title 42. (d) Acreage limitation The park can never total more than 26,776 acres.