republic-os/legal/us/code/title-16/chapter-28/section-1271.md

type, title, description, jurisdiction, corpus, kind, title_number, title_name, chapter_number, chapter_name, section, citation, status, release_point, release_date, source, source_url, source_identifier, source_file, source_hash, raw_snapshot_hash, text_hash, retrieved_at, confidence, tags

type	title	description	jurisdiction	corpus	kind	title_number	title_name	chapter_number	chapter_name	section	citation	status	release_point	release_date	source	source_url	source_identifier	source_file	source_hash	raw_snapshot_hash	text_hash	retrieved_at	confidence	tags
LegalText	16 U.S.C. § 1271	Congressional declaration of policy	us	united_states_code	code_section	16	CONSERVATION	28	WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS	1271	16 U.S.C. § 1271	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc16@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t16/s1271	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-16/usc16.xml	3429353784c2d617a24c77371434245c8edceb373001a6afa70b81570c4b2451	7be8950da5a93cac7c98e4576ce00340f2aba5e8e46d29915382c203c421d503	2028358bf3ea63dc64eb656856ff383ce1d4e9ffc5f92b8ad35d0f059748cd28	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

16 U.S.C. § 1271 - Congressional declaration of policy

Text

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dam and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes.

(Pub. L. 90–542, § 1(b), Oct. 2, 1968, 82 Stat. 906.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Codification Section consists of subsec. (b) of section 1 of Pub. L. 90–542. Subsecs. (a) and (c) of section 1 are classified to section 1272 of this title and as a note under this section, respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title of 2018 AmendmentPub. L. 115–229, § 1, Aug. 2, 2018, 132 Stat. 1629, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘East Rosebud Wild and Scenic Rivers Act’.”

Short Title of 2014 AmendmentPub. L. 113–244, § 1, Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 2864, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and section 615i of Title 43, Public Lands, and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Crooked River Collaborative Water Security and Jobs Act of 2014’.”

Short Title of 2009 AmendmentPub. L. 111–11, title V, § 5002(a), Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1147, provided that: “This section [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Craig Thomas Snake Headwaters Legacy Act of 2008’.”

Short Title of 2006 AmendmentPub. L. 109–452, § 1, Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3363, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Musconetcong Wild and Scenic Rivers Act’.” Pub. L. 109–370, § 1, Nov. 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 2643, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1276 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2005’.”

Short Title of 2005 AmendmentPub. L. 109–44, § 1, Aug. 2, 2005, 119 Stat. 443, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Upper White Salmon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act’.”

Short Title of 2002 AmendmentPub. L. 107–365, § 1, Dec. 19, 2002, 116 Stat. 3027, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Caribbean National Forest Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 2002’.”

Short Title of 2001 AmendmentPub. L. 107–65, § 1, Nov. 6, 2001, 115 Stat. 484, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1276 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Eightmile River Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2001’.”

Short Title of 2000 AmendmentsPub. L. 106–418, § 1, Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1817, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic Rivers Act’.” Pub. L. 106–357, § 1, Oct. 24, 2000, 114 Stat. 1393, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic Rivers System Act’.” Pub. L. 106–318, § 1, Oct. 19, 2000, 114 Stat. 1278, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1276 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Taunton River Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2000’.” Pub. L. 106–299, § 1, Oct. 13, 2000, 114 Stat. 1050, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Wekiva Wild and Scenic River Act of 2000’.” Pub. L. 106–192, § 1, May 2, 2000, 114 Stat. 233, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Lamprey Wild and Scenic River Extension Act’.”

Short Title of 1999 AmendmentPub. L. 106–20, § 1, Apr. 9, 1999, 113 Stat. 30, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild and Scenic River Act’.”

Short Title of 1994 AmendmentsPub. L. 103–313, § 1, Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1699, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Farmington Wild and Scenic River Act’.” Pub. L. 103–242, § 1, May 4, 1994, 108 Stat. 611, provided that: “This Act [amending sections 1274 and 1276 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Rio Grande Designation Act of 1994’.”

Short Title of 1993 AmendmentPub. L. 103–170, § 1, Dec. 2, 1993, 107 Stat. 1986, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Red River Designation Act of 1993’.”

Short Title of 1992 AmendmentsPub. L. 102–275, § 1, Apr. 22, 1992, 106 Stat. 123, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Arkansas Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1992’.” Pub. L. 102–249, § 1, Mar. 3, 1992, 106 Stat. 45, provided that: “This Act [amending sections 1274 and 1276 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Michigan Scenic Rivers Act of 1991’.”

Short Title of 1991 AmendmentsPub. L. 102–215, § 1, Dec. 11, 1991, 105 Stat. 1664, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1276 of this title] may be cited as the ‘White Clay Creek Study Act’.” Pub. L. 102–214, § 1, Dec. 11, 1991, 105 Stat. 1663, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1276 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Lamprey River Study Act of 1991’.” Pub. L. 102–50, § 1, May 24, 1991, 105 Stat. 254, provided that: “This Act [amending sections 1274 and 1276 of this title and enacting provisions classified as notes under sections 1a–5 and 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Niobrara Scenic River Designation Act of 1991’.”

Short Title of 1990 AmendmentsPub. L. 101–628, title VII, § 701, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4497, provided that: “This title [amending section 1276 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild and Scenic River Study Act’.” Pub. L. 101–628, title XIII, § 1301, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4509, provided that: “This Act [probably should be “this title”, amending section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Clarks Fork Wild and Scenic River Designation Act of 1990’.” Pub. L. 101–357, § 1, Aug. 10, 1990, 104 Stat. 418, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1276 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Pemigewasset River Study Act of 1989’.” Pub. L. 101–356, § 1, Aug. 10, 1990, 104 Stat. 417, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1276 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Merrimack River Study Act of 1990’.” Pub. L. 101–306, § 1, June 6, 1990, 104 Stat. 260, provided that: “This Act [amending section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘East Fork of the Jemez River and the Pecos River Wild and Scenic Rivers Addition Act of 1989’.”

Short Title of 1988 AmendmentsPub. L. 100–557, title I, § 101, Oct. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 2782, provided that: “This title [amending sections 1274 and 1276 of this title and enacting provisions classified as notes under section 1274 of this title] may be referred to as the ‘Omnibus Oregon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1988’.” Pub. L. 100–547, § 1, Oct. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 2736, provided: “That this Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions listed in a table of Wilderness Areas set out under section 1132 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Sipsey Wild and Scenic River and Alabama Addition Act of 1988’.”

Short Title of 1986 AmendmentPub. L. 99–590, title II, § 201, Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3332, provided that: “This title [amending section 1276 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Farmington Wild and Scenic River Study Act’.”

Short Title of 1972 AmendmentPub. L. 92–560, § 1, Oct. 25, 1972, 86 Stat. 1174, provided: “That this Act [amending section 1274 of this title and enacting provisions classified as a note under section 1274 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Lower Saint Croix River Act of 1972’.”

Short TitlePub. L. 90–542, § 1(a), Oct. 2, 1968, 82 Stat. 906, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Wild and Scenic Rivers Act’.”