Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, may relinquish to a State, or to a Commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, the exclusive legislative jurisdiction of the United States over all or part of any United States Fish and Wildlife Service lands or interests therein, including but not limited to National Wildlife Refuge System and National Fish Hatchery System lands, in that State, Commonwealth, territory, or possession. Relinquishment of exclusive legislative jurisdiction under this subsection may be accomplished (1) by filing with the Governor (or, if none, the chief executive officer) of the State, Commonwealth, territory, or possession concerned, a notice of relinquishment to take effect upon acceptance thereof, or (2) as the laws of the State, Commonwealth, territory, or possession may otherwise provide.

Terms Used In 16 USC 742m

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7