16 U.S.C. § 470
Section 470 · Declaration of policy of the Federal Government
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 17 court decisions — leading case Tyler v. Cuomo (2000)
Most recently applied in WildEarth Guardians v. Provencio (September 2017)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
It shall be the policy of the Federal Government, in cooperation with other nations and in partnership with the States, local governments, Indian tribes, and private organizations and individuals to—
(1) use measures, including financial and technical assistance, to foster conditions under which our modern society and our prehistoric and historic resources can exist in productive harmony and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations;
(2) provide leadership in the preservation of the prehistoric and historic resources of the United States and of the international community of nations and in the administration of the national preservation program in partnership with States, Indian tribes, Native Hawaiians, and local governments;
(3) administer federally owned, administered, or controlled prehistoric and historic resources in a spirit of stewardship for the inspiration and benefit of present and future generations;
(4) contribute to the preservation of nonfederally owned prehistoric and historic resources and give maximum encouragement to organizations and individuals undertaking preservation by private means;
(5) encourage the public and private preservation and utilization of all usable elements of the Nation's historic built environment; and
(6) assist State and local governments, Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations and the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States to expand and accelerate their historic preservation programs and activities.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Amendments
1992—Par. (2). Pub. L. 102–575, §4002(1), inserted “and in the administration of the national preservation program in partnership with States, Indian tribes, Native Hawaiians, and local governments” after “community of nations”.
Par. (6). Pub. L. 102–575, §4002(2), inserted “, Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations” after “local governments”.