Executive Order 12996: Management and General Public Use of the National Wildlife Refuge System
President: Bill Clinton
Defined conservation as the refuge system’s mission and identified compatible wildlife-dependent recreation as priority public uses.
Status: In effect.
Is Executive Order 12996 still in effect? Yes. Active and reinforced by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.
What does Executive Order 12996 do?
EO 12996 stated that the National Wildlife Refuge System exists to conserve fish, wildlife, plants and habitat for present and future generations. It identified hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education and interpretation as priority uses when compatible, emphasized habitat, partnerships and public involvement, and directed system planning. Congress incorporated these principles into the 1997 Refuge System Improvement Act, which now provides the controlling statutory mission and compatibility framework.
Before and after
Before the order
The refuge system lacked a single express mission and government-wide hierarchy for wildlife-dependent uses.
After the order
Conservation became the stated system mission and Congress codified compatible priority uses.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Interior and FWS | Manage refuges for conservation | Continuing |
| Refuge managers | Determine compatibility of public uses | Site by site |
| FWS | Use planning, partnerships and public involvement | Continuing |
What happened next
EO 12996 stated the mission and principles.
EO 13022 applied the framework to Midway Atoll.
Congress enacted the Refuge System Improvement Act.
The order remained reproduced in current statutory notes.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The 1997 Act codified the mission and priority-use framework in 16 U.S.C. § 668dd. Statute, refuge purposes and compatibility determinations govern specific uses.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- GovInfo — EO 12996 (opens in a new tab) Order text
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 14, 2026. How we research →