U.S. Code

The Secretary is authorized to acquire lands and interests in land within the boundaries of the Redwood National Park and, in addition thereto, not more than ten acres outside of those boundaries for an administrative site or sites. Such acquisition may be by donation, purchase with appropriated or donated funds, exchange, or otherwise, but lands and interests in land owned by the State of California may be acquired only by donation which donation of lands or interest in lands may be accepted in the discretion of the Secretary subject to such preexisting reverters and other conditions as may appear in the title to these lands held by the State of California, and such other reverters and conditions as may be consistent with the use and management of the donated lands as a portion of Redwood National Park. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may expend appropriated funds for the management of and for the construction, design, and maintenance of permanent improvements on such lands and interests in land as are donated by the State of California in a manner not inconsistent with such reverters and other conditions.

If any individual tract or parcel of land acquired is partly inside and partly outside the boundaries of the park or the administrative site the Secretary may, in order to minimize the payment of severance damages, acquire the whole of the tract or parcel and exchange that part of it which is outside the boundaries for land or interests in land inside the boundaries or for other land or interests in land acquired pursuant to this subchapter, and dispose of so much thereof as is not so utilized in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended. The cost of any land so acquired and disposed of shall not be charged against the limitation on authorized appropriations contained in section 79j of this title.

The Secretary is further authorized to acquire, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, lands and interests in land bordering both sides of the highway between the present southern boundary of Prairie Creek Redwood State Park and a point on Redwood Creek near the town of Orick to a depth sufficient to maintain or to restore a screen of trees between the highway and the land behind the screen and the activities conducted thereon.

In order to afford as full protection as is reasonably possible to the timber, soil, and streams within the boundaries of the park, the Secretary is authorized, by any of the means set out in subsections (a) and (c) of this section, to acquire interests in land from, and to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, the owners of land on the periphery of the park and on watersheds tributary to streams within the park designed to assure that the consequences of forestry management, timbering, land use, and soil conservation practices conducted thereon, or of the lack of such practices, will not adversely affect the timber, soil, and streams within the park as aforesaid. As used in this subsection, the term “interests in land” does not include fee title unless the Secretary finds that the cost of a necessary less-than-fee interest would be disproportionately high as compared with the estimated cost of the fee. No acquisition other than by donation shall be effectuated and no contract or cooperative agreement shall be executed by the Secretary pursuant to the provisions of this subsection until after he has notified the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of his intended action and of the costs and benefits to the United States involved therein. Effective on March 27, 1978, there are made available from the amounts provided in section 79j of this title or as may be hereafter provided such sums as may be necessary for the acquisition of interests in land. Effective on October 1, 1978, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the implementation of contracts and cooperative agreements pursuant to this subsection: Provided, That it is the express intent of Congress that the Secretary shall to the greatest degree possible insure that such contracts and cooperative agreements provide for the maximum retention of senior employees by such owners and for their utilization in rehabilitation and other efforts. The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, is further authorized, pursuant to contract or cooperative agreement with agencies of the Federal Executive, the State of California, any political or governmental subdivision thereof, any corporation, not-for-profit corporation, private entity or person, to initiate, provide funds, equipment, and personnel for the development and implementation of a program for the rehabilitation of areas within and upstream from the park contributing significant sedimentation because of past logging disturbances and road conditions, and, to the extent feasible, to reduce risk of damage to streamside areas adjacent to Redwood Creek and for other reasons: Provided further, That authority to make payments under this subsection shall be effective only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts. Such contracts or cooperative agreements shall be subject to such other conditions as the Secretary may determine necessary to assure the adequate protection of Redwood National Park generally, and to provide employment opportunities to those individuals affected by this taking and to contribute to the economic revival of Del Norte and Humboldt Counties in northern California. The Secretary shall undertake and publish studies on erosion and sedimentation originating within the hydrographic basin of Redwood Creek with particular effort to identify sources and causes, including differentiation between natural and man-aggravated conditions, and shall adapt his general management plan to benefit from the results of such studies. The Secretary, or the Secretary of Agriculture, where appropriate, shall also manage any additional Federal lands under his jurisdiction that are within the hydrographic basin of Redwood Creek in a manner which will minimize sedimentation which could affect the park, and in coordination with plans for sediment management within the basin. To effectuate the provisions of this subsection, and to further develop scientific and professional information and data concerning the Redwood Forest ecosystem, and the various factors that may affect it, the Secretary may authorize access to the area subject to this subsection by designated representatives of the United States.