Review Authorities

Capper-Cramton Act

(Act of May 29, 1930, Pub. L. No.72-284, 46 Stat 482 (May 29, 1930), as amended by the Act of August 8, 1946, Pub. L. No. 79-699, 60 Stat. 960 (1946), as amended by The National Capital Planning Act, Pub. L. No.82-592, sec. 10, 66 Stat. 781, 791 (July 19, 1952), as amended by Act of August 21, 1958, Pub. L. No. 85-707, 72 Stat. 705 (1958)).

The Capper-Cramton Act authorized

• the acquisition of land with federal funds for the George Washington Memorial Parkway on both sides of the Potomac River.
• the acquisition of certain enumerated stream valleys in Maryland and Virginia for park purposes with all land acquired to be titled in the name of the individual states or a designated park authority
• NCPC to enter into agreements with Maryland or Virginia to flesh out the financial, development and management terms for the acquired lands.
• acquisition of land in Washington, DC for park, parkway and playground development.

Today, NCPC’s Capper-Cramton authority applies only in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, Maryland for those designated stream valley parks acquired with Capper-Cramton funds and placed under the jurisdiction of the Maryland National Capital Parks and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). It also extends to review of changes to land used on the Maryland side of the Potomac for parkway use. Based on an agreement with M-NCPPC, the Commission’s authority over these lands extends to approval of development plans, changes to development plans, and changes in use from parkland to non-parkland use.