Effective Date: 11/19/71

Series: Public Lands

Part 600: Public Lands Policy

Chapter 1: Protection of National Parks, Monuments, Wilderness Areas and Wildlife Refuges

Originating Office: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks

1.1 General. This chapter prescribes policies and procedures of the Department of the Interior to assure the conservation and protection of the national parks, monuments, historical areas, wilderness areas and wildlife refuges from adverse affects of power, reclamation or other water developments.

1.2 Policy. No bureau, service or agency of this Department shall undertake or continue, within or affecting any national park, monument, historical area, wilderness area or wildlife refuge, without the written approval of the Secretary of the Interior, any investigations or studies, or undertake any drilling, surveys, or other exploratory work incident to the preparation of reports or plans relating to water development, or obligate any Federal funds therefor, except where the Congress has specifically authorized such a project in the reserved area concerned.

1.3 Environmental Impact Statements. In those cases where it appears that it is in the public interest to permit the investigation of proposed power or reclamation projects affecting areas specified in 600 DM 1.2, a detailed environmental impact statement shall be prepared as required by section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190). Instructions on the preparation of environmental impact statements are contained in 516 DM 2.

1.4 Exceptions. The policy set forth in 600 DM 1.2 does not apply to topographic, geologic, water and mineral resource surveys performed by the Geological Survey unless major drilling, trenching or similar physical explorations are involved, nor to any investigations by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service undertaken pursuant to the Act of August 14, 1946 (60 Stat. 1080).

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