A bill to revise the boundary of Voyageurs National Park in the State of Minnesota, and for other purposes.
PL 97-405 (S.625), enacted 01/03/1983

96 STAT. 2028 
PUBLIC LAW 97-405—JAN. 3, 1983 
Public Law 97-405 
97th Congress 
Jan. 3,1983 
[S. 625] 
Voyageurs 
National Park, 
Minn. 
Boundary 
revision. 
84 Stat. 1970. 
16 u s e 160. 
16 u s e 160a-l. 
16 u s e 160a-l. 
i-iiiK 
Public 
inspection. 
Land 
conveyances, 
conditions. 
An Act 
To revise the boundary of Voyageurs National Park in the State of Minnesota, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act 
entitled "An Act to authorize the establishment of the Voyageurs 
National Park in the State of Minnesota, and for other purposes", 
approved January 8,1971 (84 Stat. 1971), is amended— 
(1) in section 102 by striking out "The" after "SEC. 102." and 
inserting in lieu thereof "(a) Except as provided in subsection (h) 
of this section, the"; 
(2) by inserting after section 102(a), as redesignated by para-
graph (1), the following new subsection: 
"(b)(1) In addition to such revisions as the Secretary may make in 
the boundaries of the park from time to time pursuant to other 
provisions of law, the Secretary may, according to the provisions of 
subsection (a)— 
"(A) delete approximately 782 acres in the Neil Point area of 
the park; 
"(B) add approximately 180 acres in the Black Bay Narrows 
areas of the park; 
"(C) add approximately 18.45 acres owned by the State of 
Minnesota at the Kabetogama Forestry Station; 
"(D) add approximately 120 acres owned by the State of 
Minnesota, being a strip of land through that portion of section 
1, township 68 north, range 20 west, fourth principal meridian, 
which is parallel to and 400 feet on both sides of the unimproved 
road extending northward from the Ash River Trail as such 
road crosses each section; and 
"(E) subject to the provisions of paragraph (2), delete approxi-
mately 1,000 acres at Black Bay and convey such lands to the 
State of Minnesota. 
All of the aforementioned boundary changes if accomplished shall 
be accomplished such that the boundary of the park shall conform to 
that generally depicted on the drawing entitled "Boundary, Voya-
geurs National Park, United States Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service", numbered 172-80, 008-MWR, and dated 
November 1981, which shall be on file and available for public 
inspection in the offices of the National Park Service, Department of 
the Interior. 
"(2) The Secretary may not delete or convey the lands referred to 
in paragraph (IKE) unless, prior to or simultaneously with such 
deletion or conveyance and in consideration of such conveyance, the 
State of Minnesota— 
"(A) tenders a conveyance of the lands described in paragraph 
(1) (C) and (D) to the United States by such instrument and in 
such manner as are satisfactory to the Secretary, including but 
not limited to lease or easement: Provided, That if the interest 
PUBLIC LAW 97-405—JAN. 3, 1983 
96 STAT. 2029 
conveyed is a lease or easement, the State of Minnesota shall 
substitute therefore a transfer of all right, title, and interest in 
the land by June 30, 1987: Provided further. That if the State 
does not transfer all right, title, and interest in such lands by 
June 30, 1987, the land described in paragraph 1(E) shall revert 
to the United States for administration by the Secretary as part 
of the park; and 
"(B) enters into a recordable agreement satisfactory to the 
Secretary which provides that— 
"(i) the State has established a wildlife management area 
in the area authorized to be deleted and conveyed to the 
State by paragraph (1)(E); 
"(ii) the State has prepared a plan acceptable to the 
Secretary to manage all the waters of and State lands 
riparian to Black Bay (including all of the State-owned 
lands and waters of Rainy Lake) to preserve the natural 
resources of the area so as to complement to the fullest 
extent possible the purposes for which the park was 
established; 
"(iii) the State shall not transfer any right, title, or 
interest in, or control over, any land described in paragraph 
(1)(E) to any person other than the Secretary; and 
"(iv) the State shall permit access by the Secretary at 
reasonable times to the land described in paragraph (1)(E). 
"(3) If at any time the State fails to comply with the material 
requirements of the agreement referred to in paragraph (2)(B), all 
right, title, and interest in the land described in paragraph (1)(E) 
shall revert to the United States for administration by the Secretary 
as part of the park. Such reversion shall take effect upon the 
delivery by the Secretary of notice to the State respecting such 
failure to comply without further notice or requirement for physical 
entry by the Secretary unless an action for judicial review is 
brought in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate 
circuit within ninety days following such notice. In any such action 
the court may issue such orders as are appropriate to carry out the 
requirements of this subsection."; 
(3) by adding after the last sentence of section 301(b) the 
following new sentence: "The President shall, no later than 
June 1, 1983, advise the United States Senate and House of 
Representatives of his recommendations with respect to the 
suitability or nonsuitability as wilderness of any area within the 
park."; and 
(4) in section 401— 
(A) by inserting "(a)" after "SEC. 401."; 
(B) by striking out "$26,014,000" and inserting in lieu 
thereof "$38,314,000"; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new subsections: 
"(b) The Secretary shall, in cooperation with other Federal, State, 
and local governmental entities and private entities experienced in 
the fields of outdoor recreation and visitor services, develop and 
implement a comprehensive plan for visitor use and overnight 
visitor facilities for the park. The plan shall set forth methods of 
achieving an appropriate level and type of visitation in order that 
the resources of the park and its environs may be interpreted for, 
and used and enjoyed by, the public in a manner consistent with the 
purposes for which the park was established. Such plan may include 
appropriate informational and educational messages and materials. 
Land reversion 
toU.S. 
Agreement 
requirements, 
State 
noncompliance. 
Judicial review. 
Presidential 
recommendations 
to Congress. 
16 u s e 160f. 
Appropriations 
authorization. 
16 u s e 160k. 
Visitor use and 
facilities plan. 
96 STAT. 2030 
PUBLIC LAW 97-405—JAN. 3, 1983 
In the development and implementation of such plan the Secretary 
may expend funds donated or appropriated for the purposes of this 
ici >i 
subsection. Effective October 1, 1983, there is authorized to be 
appropriated for the purposes of this subsection not to exceed 
$250,000, to remain available until expended. 
Study, report to 
"(c) The Secretary is directed to study existing road access to the 
Congress. 
park and to report to Congress on the impact of park-related use of 
those roads and to report specific recommendations on improve-
ments necessary to insure adequate road access to the park. The 
Secretary is directed to report, within one year of the date of 
enactment of the Act which appropriates funds authorized under 
this subsection, to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate. Effective October 1, 1983, there is 
authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of this subsection not 
to exceed $75,000. 
"(d) For purposes of section 7(a)(3) of the Land and Water Conser-
1
6 use 460/-9. 
vation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 4601-9(a)(3)), the statutory ceil-
ings on appropriations established by this section shall be deemed to 
be statutory ceilings contained in a provision of law enacted prior to 
the convening of the Ninety-fifth Congress. 
Approved January 3, 1983. 
'.y?-l ri 
, '.I'M 
''.•<•: 
b»-i -rcu 1, 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 625 (H.R. 846): 
HOUSE REPORT No. 97-871 accompanying H.R. 846 (Comm. on Interior and Insular 
Affairs). 
SENATE REPORT No. 97-423 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 128 (1982): 
June 10, considered and passed Senate. 
Sept. 29, H.R. 846 considered and passed House; proceedings vacated and S. 625, 
amended, passed in lieu. 
Oct. 1, Senate concurred in House amendments with amendments. 
Dec. 14, House concurred in certain Senate amendments and in another with 
an amendment. 
Dec. 16, Senate agreed to House amendment.