§ 670c. — Program for public outdoor recreation.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC670c]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 5C--CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ON GOVERNMENT LANDS
SUBCHAPTER I--CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS
Sec. 670c. Program for public outdoor recreation
(a) Program authorized
The Secretary of Defense is also authorized to carry out a program
for the development, enhancement, operation, and maintenance of public
outdoor recreation resources at military installations in accordance
with an integrated natural resources management plan mutually agreed
upon by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Interior, in
consultation with the appropriate State agency designated by the State
in which the installations are located.
(b) Access for disabled veterans, military dependents with disabilities,
and other persons with disabilities
(1) In developing facilities and conducting programs for public
outdoor recreation at military installations, consistent with the
primary military mission of the installations, the Secretary of Defense
shall ensure, to the extent reasonably practicable, that outdoor
recreation opportunities (including fishing, hunting, trapping, wildlife
viewing, boating, and camping) made available to the public also provide
access for persons described in paragraph (2) when topographic,
vegetative, and water resources allow access for such persons without
substantial modification to the natural environment.
(2) Persons referred to in paragraph (1) are the following:
(A) Disabled veterans.
(B) Military dependents with disabilities.
(C) Other persons with disabilities, when access to a military
installation for such persons and other civilians is not otherwise
restricted.
(3) The Secretary of Defense shall carry out this subsection in
consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, national service,
military, and veterans organizations, and sporting organizations in the
private sector that participate in outdoor recreation projects for
persons described in paragraph (2).
(c) Acceptance of donations
In connection with the facilities and programs for public outdoor
recreation at military installations, in particular the requirement
under subsection (b) of this section to provide access for persons
described in paragraph (2) of such subsection, the Secretary of Defense
may accept--
(1) the voluntary services of individuals and organizations; and
(2) donations of property, whether real or personal.
(d) Treatment of volunteers
A volunteer under subsection (c) of this section shall not be
considered to be a Federal employee and shall not be subject to the
provisions of law relating to Federal employment, including those
relating to hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment
compensation, and Federal employee benefits, except that--
(1) for the purposes of the tort claims provisions of chapter
171 of title 28, the volunteer shall be considered to be a Federal
employee; and
(2) for the purposes of subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5,
relating to compensation to Federal employees for work injuries, the
volunteer shall be considered to be an employee, as defined in
section 8101(1)(B) of title 5, and the provisions of such subchapter
shall apply.
(Pub. L. 86-797, title I, Sec. 103, formerly Sec. 3, Sept. 15, 1960, 74
Stat. 1053; Pub. L. 90-465, Sec. 1, Aug. 8, 1968, 82 Stat. 661;
renumbered title I, Sec. 103, Pub. L. 93-452, Sec. 3(1), Oct. 18, 1974,
88 Stat. 1375; Pub. L. 105-85, div. B, title XXIX, Secs. 2904(b)(6),
2913(6), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2018, 2022; Pub. L. 105-261, div. B,
title XXVIII, Sec. 2813, Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2206.)
Amendments
1998--Pub. L. 105-261 inserted section catchline, designated
existing provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading, and added
subsecs. (b) to (d).
1997--Pub. L. 105-85 substituted ``military installations'' for
``military reservations'', ``an integrated natural resources management
plan'' for ``a cooperative plan'', and ``the installations'' for ``such
reservations''.
1968--Pub. L. 90-465 authorized the carrying out of a public outdoor
recreation resources program under a cooperative plan between Secretary
of Defense, Secretary of the Interior, and State agencies, and struck
out provisions for expenditure of funds collected and purposes therefor,
now incorporated in section 670f(a) of this title.
