An Act to amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, and for other purposes.
PL 94-223 (H.R.5512), enacted 02/27/1976

PUBLIC LAW 94-223—FEB. 27, 1976 
90 STAT. 199 
Public Law 94-223 
94th Congress 
An Act 
To amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of. America in Congress assembled^ That subsection (a) 
of section 4 of the National Wildlife Eefuge System Administration 
Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)) is amended to read as follows: 
"(a) (1) For the purpose of consolidating the authorities relating 
to the various categories of areas that are administered by the Secre-
tary of the Interior for the conservation of fish and wildlife, includ-
ing species that are threatened with extinction, all lands, waters, and 
interests therein administered by the Secretary as wildlife refuges, 
areas for the protection and conservation of fish and Avildlife that are 
threatened with extinction, wildlife ranges, game ranges, wildlife 
management areas, or waterfowl production areas are hereby desig-
nated as the 'National Wildlife Refuge System' (referred to herein 
as the 'System'), which shall be subject to the provisions of this 
section, and shall be administered by the Secretary through the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service. With respect to refuge lands in the 
State of Alaska, those programs relating to the management of 
resources for which any other agency of the Federal Government 
exercises administrativ^e responsibility through cooperative agreement 
shall remain in effect, subject to the direct supervision of the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service, as long as such agency agrees to 
exercise such responsibility. 
"(2) No acquired lands which are or become a part of the System 
may be transferred or otherwise disposed of under any provision of 
law (except by exchange pursuant to subsection (b) (3) of this 
section) unless— 
" (A) the Secretary of the Interior determines with the approval 
of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission that such lands 
are no longer needed for the purposes for which the System was 
established; and 
" (B) such lands are transferred or otherwise disposed of for an 
amount not less than— 
" (i) the acquisition costs of such lands, in the case of lands 
of the System which were purchased by the United States 
with funds from the migratory bird conservation fund, or 
fair market value, whichever is greater; or 
"(ii) the fair market value of such lands (as determined 
by the Secretary as of the date of the transfer or disposal), 
in the case of lands of the System which were donated to the 
System. 
The Secretary shall pay into the migratory bird conservation fund 
the aggregate amount of the proceeds of any transfer or disposal 
referred to in the preceding sentence. 
"(3) Each area Avhich is included within the System on January 1, 
1975, or thereafter, and which was or is— 
" ( A ) designated as an area within such System by law, Execu-
tive order, or secretarial order; or 
Feb. 27, 1976 
[H.R. 5512] 
National Wildlife 
Refuge System 
Administration 
Act of 1966, 
amendments. 
Transfer or 
disposal of lands, 
restriction. 
90 STAT. 200 
PUBLIC LAW 94-223—FEB. 27, 1976 
"(B) so included by public land withdrawal, donation, pur-
chase, exchange, or pursuant to a cooperative agreement with any 
State or local government, any Federal department or agency, or 
any other governmental entity, 
shall continue to be a part of the System until otherwise specified by 
Act of Congress, except that nothing in this paragraph shall be con-
strued as precluding— 
"(i) the transfer or disposal of acquired lands within any such 
area pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection; 
"(ii) the exchange of lands within any such area pursuant to 
subsection (b) (3) of this section; or 
"(iii) the disposal of any lands within any such area pursuant 
to the terms of any cooperative agreement referred to in subpara-
graph (B) of this paragraph.". 
Approved February 27, 1976. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 94-334 (Comm. on Merchant Marine and Fisheries). 
SENATE REPORT No. 94-593 (Comm. on Commerce). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 121 (1975): Nov. 14, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 122 (1976): Feb. 4, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Feb. 17, House concurred in Senate amendment.