16 U.S.C. § 460l–12 — Recreation and fish and wildlife benefits of Federal multiple-purpose water resources projects; Congressional declaration of policy

submitted 61 years ago by Pub. L. 89-72 to r/title-16-CONSERVATION · 224 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

This law sets federal policy for water projects like dams and canals. Agencies must consider adding recreation and fish and wildlife benefits when building these projects. They should also encourage local governments, not the federal government, to run those recreation areas.

Congress states its policy for federal water projects — including navigation, flood control, reclamation, and hydroelectric projects. (a) When planning any such project, the agency must fully consider whether the project could also provide outdoor recreation or help fish and wildlife. If a project can reasonably do this consistent with this part, it must be built, run, and maintained to do so. (b) When planning a project's recreation potential, the agency must coordinate it with existing and planned recreation facilities run by federal, state, or local governments. (c) Agencies building these projects should encourage non-federal public bodies — like state or local governments — to run the project's recreation and fish-and-wildlife land and water areas, and to operate, maintain, and replace the facilities there. This does not apply if the land is part of, or proposed for, a national recreation area; if it fits better under the national forest system or public lands kept in federal ownership; or if it's part of an authorized federal fish-and-wildlife program.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

It is the policy of the Congress and the intent of this part (a) in investigating and planning any Federal navigation, flood control, reclamation, hydroelectric, or multiple-purpose water resource project, full consideration shall be given to the opportunities, if any, which the project affords for outdoor recreation and for fish and wildlife enhancement and that, wherever any such project can reasonably serve either or both of these purposes consistently with the provisions of this part, it shall be constructed, operated, and maintained accordingly; (b) planning with respect to the development of the recreation potential of any such project shall be based on the coordination of the recreational use of the project area with the use of existing and planned Federal, State, or local public recreation developments; and (c) project construction agencies shall encourage non-Federal public bodies to administer project land and water areas for recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement purposes and operate, maintain, and replace facilities provided for those purposes unless such areas or facilities are included or proposed for inclusion within a national recreation area, or are appropriate for administration by a Federal agency as a part of the national forest system, as a part of the public lands classified for retention in Federal ownership, or in connection with an authorized Federal program for the conservation and development of fish and wildlife.

Source credit: (Pub. L. 89–72, § 1, July 9, 1965, 79 Stat. 213.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1965Enacted · Pub. L. 89-72 · 79 Stat. 213

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 89-72 on 1965-07-09.

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