Editing Palmyra Atoll (section)

== Political status ==
[[File:NOAA Map of the US EEZ.svg|thumb|Map showing the Palmyra [[exclusive economic zone]] in context with the United States territories]]
Palmyra is an [[Territories of the United States#Incorporated versus unincorporated territories|incorporated territory]] of the United States (the only such territory since 1959), meaning that it is subject to all provisions of the [[U.S. Constitution]] and is permanently under American [[sovereignty]]. Palmyra remains an [[Territories of the United States#Minor Outlying Islands|unorganized territory]]. No [[U.S. Congress|Act of Congress]] since [[Hawaii statehood]] in 1959 has specified how Palmyra is to be governed. The only relevant [[U.S. Government|federal law]] gives the [[President of the United States|president]] the authority to administer Palmyra as directed or via the [[United States District Court for the District of Hawaii]] (Hawaii Omnibus Act, Pub. L. 86–624, July 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 411).<ref name="omnibus">{{cite web |url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-74/pdf/STATUTE-74-Pg411.pdf#page=14 |title=Public Law 86–624 |date=July 12, 1960 |access-date=January 5, 2014 |page=424 (14) |quote=shall be exercised in such manner and through such agency or agencies as the President of the United States may direct or authorize. }}</ref> Executive Order 10967, effective 10 October 1961, provided that the [[United States Department of the Interior|Department of the Interior]] be responsible for all executive, legislative, and judicial authority of its civil administration.<ref>{{Federal Register|26|9667}}, 13 October 1961.</ref><ref>{{United States Code|43|1458}} note.</ref>

The governance issue is generally a moot point since no permanent population lives there. Cooper Island and ten other land parcels in this atoll are owned by [[The Nature Conservancy]], which manages them as a nature reserve. The southwesternmost islets, including Home, are owned by descendants of former Palmyra owner [[Henry Ernest Cooper]] and others. The rest of Palmyra is federal land and waters under the jurisdiction of the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/united-states-pacific-island-wildlife-refuges/|title=Australia – Oceania :: United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges — The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency|website=www.cia.gov|date=May 22, 2023 }}</ref> Since Palmyra has no state or local government, it is administered directly from [[Honolulu]] by the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]], except for some submerged tracts administered by the [[Office of Insular Affairs]], both in the [[U.S. Department of the Interior]]. Palmyra is counted as one of the [[United States Minor Outlying Islands|U.S. minor outlying islands]] for all other purposes. They are outside the [[customs territory]] of the United States and have no customs duties.<ref>{{CodeFedReg|19|101.1}}</ref><ref>{{CodeFedReg|19|7.2}}</ref>

Palmyra land was registered in [[Hawaii Land Court]] in 1912.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=In the Matter of the Application of Henry E. Cooper to Register and Confirm Title to Palmyra Island |reporter=Application No. 223, Hawaii Court of Land Registration |date=1912}}</ref> In 1959, the rest of the federal [[Territory of Hawaii]], excluding Palmyra, became the [[state of Hawaii]]. Hawaii Land Court became a state court and lost jurisdiction over Palmyra land. Instead, Palmyra land documents are filed or recorded in [[United States District Court for the District of Hawaii|federal court in Honolulu]].<ref name="recordation">Secretary of the Interior Order No. 2862, ''Palmyra Island Land Recordation'', March 19, 1962. F. R. Doc. 62-2736, {{Federal Register|27|2707}}, March 22, 1962.</ref>