In making the study and to accomplish the purposes of this section, the Secretary, acting through the Director—

(1) Definition.— In this subsection, the term “State” means a State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

(2) Study.— The Secretary shall cause the Service to make a comprehensive study, other than on land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture, of the public park, parkway, and recreational area programs of the United States, States, and political subdivisions of States and of areas of land throughout the United States that are or may be chiefly valuable as public park, parkway, or recreational areas. A study shall not be made in any State without the consent and approval of the State officials, boards, or departments having jurisdiction over the land. The study shall be such as, in the judgment of the Secretary, will provide data helpful in developing a plan for coordinated and adequate public park, parkway, and recreational-area facilities for the people of the United States.

In making the study and to accomplish the purposes of this section, the Secretary, acting through the Director—

(A) shall seek and accept the cooperation and assistance of Federal departments or agencies having jurisdiction of land belonging to the United States; and

(B) may cooperate and make agreements with and seek and accept the assistance of— (i) other Federal agencies and instrumentalities; and (ii) States, political subdivisions of States, and agencies and instrumentalities of either of them.

(4) State planning.— For the purpose of developing coordinated and adequate public park, parkway, and recreational-area facilities for the people of the United States, the Secretary may aid States and political subdivisions of States in planning public park, parkway, and recreational areas and in cooperating with one another to accomplish these ends. Aid shall be made available through the Service acting in cooperation with such State agencies or agencies of political subdivisions of States as the Secretary considers best.

The consent of Congress is given to any 2 or more States to negotiate and enter into compacts or agreements with one another with reference to planning, establishing, developing, improving, and maintaining any park, parkway, or recreational area. No compact or agreement shall be effective until approved by the legislatures of the States that are parties to the compact or agreement and by Congress.

(Pub. L. 113–287, § 3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3099.)