16 U.S.C. § 407o — Construction of buildings; acceptance of

Page 247 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 407q ments shall contain, but shall not be limited to, provisions that the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, shall have right of access at all reasonable times to all public portions of the property now within Inde- pendence Hall National Historic Site and to Car- penters’ Hall for the purpose of conducting visi- tors through such buildings and grounds and in- terpreting them to the public, that no changes or alterations shall be made in the property within the Independence Hall National Historic Site, including its buildings and grounds, or in Carpenters’ Hall, except by mutual agreement between the Secretary of the Interior and the other parties to the contracts. (June 28, 1948, ch. 687, § 2, 62 Stat. 1061.) Executive Documents TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with cer- tain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. § 407o. Construction of buildings; acceptance of donations The Secretary of the Interior, in his discre- tion, is authorized to construct upon a portion of the land described in section 407m of this title, or upon other land that may be donated for such purpose, which property he is author- ized to accept, such offices and administration buildings as he may deem advisable, together with a suitable auditorium for the interpreta- tion of the historical features of the national historical park. The Secretary of the Interior is also authorized to accept donations of property of national historical significance located in the city of Philadelphia which the Secretary may deem proper for administration as part of the Independence National Historical Park. Any property donated for the purposes of this section shall become a part of the park, following its es- tablishment, upon acceptance by the United States of title to such donated property. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to permit the American Philosophical Society, a nonprofit corporation, without cost to the United States, to construct, operate, and maintain in the park a building to be located on approximately the original site of historic Library Hall to house the library of the American Philosophical Soci- ety and any additions to said library, such per- mission to be granted the society pursuant to a lease, contract, or authorization without charge, on such terms and conditions as may be ap- proved by the Secretary and accepted by the so- ciety, and for such length of time as the society shall continue to use the said building for the housing, display, and use of a library and sci- entific and historical collections: Provided, That the plans for the construction of the building and any additions thereto shall be approved by the Secretary of the Interior. (June 28, 1948, ch. 687, § 3, 62 Stat. 1062; July 10, 1952, ch. 653, § 2, 66 Stat. 575.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1952—Act July 10, 1952, inserted last sentence. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ACQUISITION OF LAND ENCROACHED UPON BY DESHLER- MORRIS HOUSE Pub. L. 85–702, Aug. 21, 1958, 72 Stat. 701, provided: ‘‘That, for the purpose of placing in Government owner- ship a small strip of land encroached upon by the Deshler-Morris House, which was donated to the United States and accepted as a part of Independence National Historical Park pursuant to section 3 of the Act of June 28, 1948 (62 Stat. 1061) [this section], the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to acquire the following land: ‘‘Beginning at a point on the southwesterly side of Germantown Avenue at the distance of 165 feet 71⁄2 inches southeastwardly from the southeasterly side of School House Lane, in the 22d ward of the city of Phila- delphia; thence extending south 41 degrees 50 minutes 46 seconds west 44 feet to a point; thence extending north 48 degrees 58 minutes 40 seconds west 6 feet 1 inch to a point; thence extending south 42 degrees 8 minutes 17 seconds west 106 feet 4 inches to a point of corner; thence extending south 48 degrees 58 minutes 40 seconds east 12 feet 11⁄2 inches to a point of corner; thence ex- tending north 41 degrees 50 minutes 46 seconds east 150 feet 37⁄8 inches to the southwesterly side of German- town Avenue; thence extending north 48 degrees 58 min- utes 40 seconds west along the southwesterly side of Germantown Avenue 5 feet 6 inches to the first men- tioned point and place of beginning.’’ § 407p. Establishment of advisory commission; composition, appointment, and duties The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, in his discretion, to establish a suitable advisory commission of not to exceed eleven members. The members of the advisory commission shall be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, with three members to be recommended by the Governor of Pennsylvania, three by the mayor of Philadelphia, and one each by the Carpenters’ Company of Philadelphia and the Independence Hall Association. The functions of the advisory commission shall be to render advice to the Secretary of the Interior, from time to time, upon matters which the Secretary of the Interior may refer to them for consideration. (June 28, 1948, ch. 687, § 4, 62 Stat. 1062.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TERMINATION OF ADVISORY COMMISSIONS Advisory commissions in existence on Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period following Jan. 5, 1973, unless, in the case of a commission established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such commission is re- newed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a commission es- tablished by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided for by law. See sections 1001(2) and 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. § 407q. Administration, protection, and develop- ment The administration, protection, and develop- ment of the park shall be exercised under the di- rection of the Secretary of the Interior by the National Park Service, subject to the provisions