In carrying out this section, the Secretary of the Interior may act directly or through an appropriate officer in the Department of the Interior.

The Secretary shall direct and coordinate participation by the United States in the World Heritage Convention in cooperation with the Secretary of State, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Council. Whenever possible, expenditures incurred in carrying out activities in cooperation with other nations and international organizations shall be paid for in such excess currency of the country or area where the expense is incurred as may be available to the United States.

The Secretary shall periodically nominate property that the Secretary determines is of international significance to the World Heritage Committee on behalf of the United States. No property may be nominated unless it has previously been determined to be of national significance. Each nomination shall include evidence of such legal protections as may be necessary to ensure preservation of the property and its environment (including restrictive covenants, easements, or other forms of protection). Before making any nomination, the Secretary shall notify the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.

No non-Federal property may be nominated by the Secretary to the World Heritage Committee for inclusion on the World Heritage List unless the owner of the property concurs in the nomination in writing.

Prior to the approval of any undertaking outside the United States that may directly and adversely affect a property that is on the World Heritage List or on the applicable country’s equivalent of the National Register, the head of a Federal agency having direct or indirect jurisdiction over the undertaking shall take into account the effect of the undertaking on the property for purposes of avoiding or mitigating any adverse effect.

(Pub. L. 113–287, § 3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3230.)