16 U.S.C. § 459b–1 — Acquisition of property

The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as “Secretary”) is authorized to acquire by purchase, gift, condemnation, transfer from any Federal agency, exchange, or otherwise, the land, waters, and other property, and improvements thereon and any interest therein, within the area which is described in section 459b of this title or which lies within the boundaries of the seashore as described pursuant to section 459b–2 of this title (both together hereinafter in sections 459b to 459b–8 of this title referred to as “such area”). Any property, or interest therein, owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by any of the towns referred to in section 459b of this title, or by any other political subdivision of said Commonwealth may be acquired only with the concurrence of such owner. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any Federal property located within such area may, with the concurrence of the agency having custody thereof, be transferred without consideration to the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary for use by him in carrying out the provisions of sections 459b to 459b–8 of this title.

The Secretary is authorized (1) to use donated and appropriated funds in making acquisitions under sections 459b to 459b–8 of this title, and (2) to pay therefor not more than the fair market value of any acquisitions which he makes by purchase under sections 459b to 459b–8 of this title.

In exercising his authority to acquire property by exchange, the Secretary may accept title to any non-Federal property located within such area and convey to the grantor of such property any federally owned property under the jurisdiction of the Secretary within such area. The properties so exchanged shall be approximately equal in fair market value: Provided, That the Secretary may accept cash from or pay cash to the grantor in such an exchange in order to equalize the values of the properties exchanged.

The Secretary shall report to the Congress on every exchange carried out under authority of sections 459b to 459b–8 of this title within thirty days from its consummation, and each such report shall include a statement of the fair market values of the properties involved and of any cash equalization payment made or received.

The Secretary may convey to the town of Provincetown, Massachusetts, a parcel of real property consisting of approximately 7.62 acres of Federal land within such area in exchange for approximately 11.157 acres of land outside of such area, as depicted on the map entitled “Cape Cod National Seashore Boundary Revision Map”, dated May, 1997, and numbered 609/80,801, to allow for the establishment of a municipal facility to serve the town that is restricted to solid waste transfer and recycling facilities and for other municipal activities that are compatible with National Park Service laws and regulations. Upon completion of the exchange, the Secretary shall modify the boundary of the Cape Cod National Seashore to include the land that has been added.

As used in sections 459b to 459b–8 of this title the term “fair market value” shall mean the fair market value as determined by the Secretary, who may in his discretion base his determination on an independent appraisal obtained by him.