§ 3. Rules and regulations of national parks, reservations, and monuments; timber; leases

The Secretary of the Interior shall make and publish such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary or proper for the use and management of the parks, monuments, and reservations under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, and any violation of any of the rules and regulations authorized by this section and sections 1, 2, and 4 of this title shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not exceeding six months, or both, and be adjudged to pay all cost of the proceedings. He may also, upon terms and conditions to be fixed by him, sell or dispose of timber in those cases where in his judgment the cutting of such timber is required in order to control the attacks of insects or diseases or otherwise conserve the scenery or the natural or historic objects in any such park, monument, or reservation. He may also provide in his discretion for the destruction of such animals and of such plant life as may be detrimental to the use of any of said parks, monuments, or reservations. No natural, curiosities, wonders, or objects of interest shall be leased, rented, or granted to anyone on such terms as to interfere with free access to them by the public: Provided, however, That the Secretary of the Interior may, under such rules and regulations and on such terms as he may prescribe, grant the privilege to graze livestock within any national park, monument, or reservation herein referred to when in his judgment such use is not detrimental to the primary purpose for which such park, monument, or reservation was created, except that this provision shall not apply to the Yellowstone National Park: And provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior may grant said privileges, leases, and permits and enter into contracts relating to the same with responsible persons, firms, or corporations without advertising and without securing competitive bids: And provided further, That no contract, lease, permit, or privilege granted shall be assigned or transferred by such grantees, permittees, or licensees without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior first obtained in writing.

(Aug. 25, 1916, ch. 408, § 3, 39 Stat. 535; June 2, 1920, ch. 218, § 5, 41 Stat. 732; Mar. 7, 1928, ch. 137, § 1, 45 Stat. 235; Pub. L. 85–434, May 29, 1958, 72 Stat. 152; Pub. L. 105–391, title IV, § 415(b)(1), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3515.)

References In Text

References in Text

Herein, referred to in text, means act Aug. 25, 1916, known as the “National Park Service Organic Act”, which is classified to this section and sections 1, 2, and 4 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

Amendments

1998—Pub. L. 105–391, § 415(b)(1)(A), in fourth sentence, substituted “No natural,” for “He may also grant privileges, leases, and permits for the use of land for the accommodation of visitors in the various parks, monuments, or other reservations herein provided for, but for periods not exceeding thirty years; and no natural”.

Pub. L. 105–391, § 415(b)(1)(B), in fourth sentence, struck out last proviso which read as follows “: And provided further, That the Secretary may, in his discretion, authorize such grantees, permittees, or licensees to execute mortgages and issue bonds, shares of stock, and other evidences of interest in or indebtedness upon their rights, properties, and franchises, for the purposes of installing, enlarging, or improving plant and equipment and extending facilities for the accommodation of the public within such national parks and monuments”.

1958—Pub. L. 85–434 substituted “thirty years” for “twenty years”.

1928—Act Mar. 7, 1928, inserted last three provisos.

1920—Act June 2, 1920, substituted “and any violation of any of the rules and regulations authorized by this section and sections 1, 2, and 4 of this title shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not exceeding six months, or both, and be adjudged to pay all cost of the proceedings” for “and any violations of any of the rules and regulations authorized by this section and sections 1, 2, and 4 of this title shall be punished as provided for in section 50 of the Act entitled ‘An Act to codify and amend the Penal Laws of the United States,’ approved March 4, 1909, as amended by section 6 of the Act of June 25, 1910 (Thirty-sixth United States Statutes at Large, page 857,”.

Transfer Of Functions

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.