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Title 16 — Conservation

Chapter 63 — Federal Cave Resources Protection

§ 4304. Confidentiality of information concerning nature and location of significant caves

Statutory text

(a)

In general

Information concerning the specific location of any significant cave may not be made available to the public under section 552 of title 5 unless the Secretary determines that disclosure of such information would further the purposes of this chapter and would not create a substantial risk of harm, theft, or destruction of such cave.

(b)

Exceptions

Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary may make available information regarding significant caves upon the written request by Federal and State governmental agencies or bona fide educational and research institutions. Any such written request shall, at a minimum—

(1)

describe the specific site or area for which information is sought;

(2)

explain the purpose for which such information is sought; and

(3)

include assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that adequate measures are being taken to protect the confidentiality of such information and to ensure the protection of the significant cave from destruction by vandalism and unauthorized use.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

  1. Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988

    Pub. L. 100–691 § 5 · 102 Stat. 4546

    Enacted · 16 U.S.C. § 4304

    (Pub. L. 100–691, § 5, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4548.)

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    (Pub. L. 100–691, § 5, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4548.)

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    SEC. 5. COFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION CONCERNING NATURE AND LOCATION OF SIGNIFICANT CAVES. (a) In General.— Information concerning the specific location of any significant cave may not be made available to the public under section 552 of title 5, United States Code, unless the Secretary determines that disclosure of such information would further the purposes of this Act and would not create a substantial risk of harm, theft, or destruction of such cave. (b) Exceptions.— Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary may make available information regarding significant caves upon the written request by Federal and State governmental agencies or bona fide educational and research institutions. Any such written request shall, at a minimum— (1) describe the specific site or area for which information is sought; (2) explain the purpose for which such information is sought; and (3) include assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that adequate measures are being taken to protect the confidentiality of such information and to ensure the protection of the significant cave from destruction by vandalism and unauthorized use.

1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision

Credits

(Pub. L. 100–691, § 5, , 102 Stat. 4548.)

Parsed from the official OLRC USLM XML in data/usc_all/usc16.xml · release point 119-108 · OLRC build 2026-07-16

USLM identifier /us/usc/t16/s4304