An Act to authorize the establishment of the Congaree Swamp National Monument in the State of South Carolina, and for other purposes.
PL 94-545 (H.R.11891), enacted 10/18/1976

PUBLIC LAW 94-545—OCT. 18, 1976 
90 STAT. 2517 
Public Law 94-545 
94th Congress 
An Act 
To authorize the establishment of the Congaree Swamp National Monument 
in the State of South Carolina, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That in order to 
preserve and protect for the education, inspiration, and enjoyment of 
present and future generations an outstanding example of a near-virgin 
southern hardwood forest situated in the Congaree River floodplain 
in Richland County, South Carolina, there is hereby established the 
Congaree Swamp National Monument (hereinafter referred to as the 
"monument"). The monument shall consist of the area within the 
boundary as generally depicted on the map entitled "Congaree Swamp 
National Monument", numbered CS-80,001-B, and dated August 1976 
(generally known as the Beidler Tract), which shall be on file and 
available for public inspection in the oJSices of the National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior. Following reasonable notice in 
writing to the Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs of the 
Senate and House of Representatives of his intention to do so, the 
Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary") 
may make minor revisions of the boundary of the monument by 
publication of a revised map or other boundary description in the 
Federal Register, but the total area may not exceed fifteen thousand, 
two hundred acres. 
SEC. 2. (a) Within the monument the Secretary is authorized to 
acquire lands, waters, and interests therein by donation, purchase with 
donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. Any lands or interests 
therein owned by the State of South Carolina or any politicial sub-
division thereof may be acquired only by donation. 
(b) With respect to any lands acquired under the provisions of this 
Act which at the time of acquisition are leased for hunting purposes, 
such acquisition shall permit the continued exercise of such lease in 
accordance with its provisions for its unexpired term, or for a period 
of five years, whichever is less: Provided, That no provision of such 
lease may be exercised which, in the opinion of the Secretary, is incom-
patible with the preservation objectives of this Act, or which is incon-
sistent with applicable Federal and State game laws, whichever is 
more restrictive. 
SEC. 3. (a) The Secretary shall administer property acquired for 
the monument in accordance with the Act of August 25,1916 (39 Stat. 
535), as amended and supplemented, and the provisions of this Act. 
(b) The Secretary shall permit sport fishing on lands and waters 
under his jurisdiction within the monument in accordance with appli-
cable Federal and State laws, except that he may designate zones where 
and establish periods when no fishing shall be permitted for reasons of 
public safety, administration, fish or wildlife management, or public 
use and enjoyment. Except in emergencies, any regulations pro-
mulgated under this subsection shall be placed in effect only after con-
sultation with the appropriate fish and game agency of the State of 
South Carolina. 
Oct. 18, 1976 
[H.R. 11891] 
Congaree Swamp 
National 
Monument, S.C. 
Establishment. 
16 u s e 431 note. 
Notice to 
congressional 
committees. 
Publication in 
Federal Register. 
Land 
acquisition. 
16 u s e 431 note. 
Administration. 
16 u s e 431 note. 
Sport fishing. 
90 STAT. 2518 
PUBLIC LAW 94-545—OCT. 18, 1976 
Report to 
President. 
16 u s e 431 note. 
16 u s e 431 note. 
General 
management 
plan, report to 
committees. 
SEC. 4. Within three years from the effective date of this Act, the 
Secretary shall review the area within the monument and shall report 
to the President, in accordance with subsections 3(c) and 3(d) of the 
Wilderness Act (78 Stat. 890; 16 U.S.C. 1132 (c) and (d)), his 
recommendation as to the suitability or nonsuitability of any area 
within the monument for preservation as wilderness, and any designa-
tion of any such area as wilderness shall be accomplished in accord-
ance with said subsections of the Wilderness Act. 
SEC. 5. (a) The Secretary may not expend more than $35,500,000 
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for land acquisition 
nor more than $500,000 for the development of essential facilities. 
(b) Within three years from the effective date of this Act the Secre-
tary shall, after consulting with the Governor of the State of South 
Carolina, develop and transmit to the Committees on Interior and 
Insular Affairs of the United States Congress a general management 
plan for the use and development of the monument consistent with 
the purposes of this Act, indicating: 
(1) the lands and interests in lands adjacent or related to the 
monument which are deemed necessary or desirable for the pur-
poses of resource protection, scenic integrity, or management and 
administration of the area in furtherance of the purposes of this 
Act, and the estimated cost thereof; 
(2) the number of visitors and types of public use within the 
monument which can be accommodated in accordance with the 
protection of its resources; 
(3) the location and estimated cost of facilities deemed neces-
sary to accommodate such visitors and uses. 
Approved October 18, 1976. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 94-1570 (Coram, on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
SENATE REPORT No. 94-1311 (Coram, on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 122 (1976): 
Sept. 21, considered and passed House. 
Sept. 28, considered and passed Senate, araended. 
Sept. 29, House agreed to Senate araendment. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 12, No. 43: 
Oct. 19, Presidential stateraent.