USC Subchapter III

USC Subchapter III
in effect

33 U.S.C. § 441 Deposit of refuse prohibited; penalty

The placing, discharging, or depositing, by any process or in any manner, of refuse, dirt, ashes, cinders, mud, sand, dredgings, sludge, acid, or any other matter of any kind, other than that flowing from streets, sewers, and passing therefrom in a liquid state, in the waters of any harbor subject to this subchapter, within the limits which shall be prescribed by the supervisor of the harbor, is strictly forbidden, and every such act is made a misdemeanor, and every person engaged in or who shall aid, abet, authorize, or instigate a violation of this section, shall, upon conviction, be punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, such fine to be not less than $250 nor more than $2,500, and the imprisonment to be not less than thirty days nor more than one year, either or both united, as the judge before whom conviction is obtained shall decide, one-half of said fine to be paid to the person or persons giving information which shall lead to conviction of this misdemeanor.

33 U.S.C. § 442 Liability of officers of towing vessel

Any and every master and engineer, or person or persons acting in such capacity, respectively, on board of any boat or vessel, who shall knowingly engage in towing any scow, boat, or vessel loaded with any such prohibited matter to any point or place of deposit, or discharge in the waters of any harbor subject to this subchapter, or to any point or place elsewhere than within the limits defined and permitted by the supervisor of the harbor, shall be deemed guilty of a violation of section 441 of this title, and shall, upon conviction, be punishable as provided for offenses in violation of section 441 of this title, and shall also have his license revoked or suspended for a term to be fixed by the judge before whom tried and convicted.

33 U.S.C. § 443 Permit for dumping; penalty for taking or towing boat or scow without permit

In all cases of receiving on board of any scows or boats such forbidden matter or substance as described in section 441 of this title, the owner or master, or person acting in such capacity on board of such scows or boats, before proceeding to take or tow the same to the place of deposit, shall apply for and obtain from the supervisor of the harbor appointed, as provided in section 451 of this title, a permit defining the precise limits within which the discharge of such scows or boats may be made; and it shall not be lawful for the owner or master, or person acting in such capacity, of any tug or towboat to tow or move any scow or boat so loaded with such forbidden matter until such permit shall have been obtained; and every person violating the foregoing provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 nor less than $500, and in addition thereto the master of any tug or towboat so offending shall have his license revoked or suspended for a term to be fixed by the judge before whom tried and convicted.

33 U.S.C. § 444 Dumping at other place than designated dumping grounds; penalty; person liable; excuses for deviation

Any deviation from such dumping or discharging place specified in such permit shall be a misdemeanor, and the owner and master, or person acting in the capacity of master, of any scows or boats dumping or discharging such forbidden matter in any place other than that specified in such permit shall be liable to punishment therefor as provided in section 441 of this title; and the owner and master, or person acting in the capacity of master, of any tug or towboat towing such scows or boats shall be liable to equal punishment with the owner and master, or person acting in the capacity of master, of the scows or boats; and, further, every scowman or other employee on board of both scows and towboats shall be deemed to have knowledge of the place of dumping specified in such permit, and the owners and masters, or persons acting in the capacity of masters, shall be liable to punishment, as aforesaid, for any unlawful dumping, within the meaning of this Act and this subchapter, which may be caused by the negligence or ignorance of such scowman or other employee; and, further, neither defect in machinery nor avoidable accidents to scows or towboats, nor unfavorable weather, nor improper handling or moving of scows or boats of any kind whatsoever shall operate to release the owners and master and employees of scows and towboats from the penalties mentioned in section 441 of this title.

33 U.S.C. § 445 Equipment and marking of boats or scows

Every scow or boat engaged in the transportation of dredgings, earth, sand, mud, cellar dirt, garbage, or other offensive material of any description shall have its name or number and owner’s name painted in letters and numbers at least fourteen inches long on both sides of the scow or boat; these names and numbers shall be kept distinctly legible at all times, and no scow or boat not so marked shall be used to transport or dump any such material. Each such scow or boat shall be equipped at all times with a life line or rope extending at least the length of and three feet above the deck thereof, such rope to be attached to the coaming thereof, also with a life preserver and a life buoy for each person on board thereof, also with anchor to weigh not less than two hundred and seventy-five pounds, and at least one hundred feet of cable attached thereto; a list of the names of all men employed on any such scow or boat shall be kept by the owner or master thereof and the said list shall be open to the inspection of all parties. Failure to comply with any of the foregoing provisions shall render the owner of such scow or boat liable upon conviction thereof to a penalty of not more than $500: Provided, That the requirements in regard to life line or rope contained in this section shall not apply to any scow or boat the deck outside the coaming or rail of which shall not exceed one foot in width: And provided further, That on any such scow or boat its name or number and owner’s name painted in letters and numbers, at least fourteen inches long on both ends of such scow or boat, shall be a compliance with the provisions of this section in regard to name, number, and owner’s name.

33 U.S.C. § 446 Inspectors; appointment, powers, and duties

Each supervisor of a harbor is authorized and directed to appoint inspectors and deputy inspectors, and for the purposes of enforcing this subchapter and the Act of August 18, 1894, entitled “An Act making appropriations for the construction, repair, and preservation of certain public works on rivers and harbors, and for other purposes” (28 Stat. 338), and of detecting and bringing to punishment offenders against the same, the said supervisor of the harbor, and the inspectors and deputy inspectors so appointed by him, shall have power and authority. First. To arrest and take into custody, with or without process, any person or persons who may commit any of the acts or offenses prohibited by this subchapter, or who may violate any of the provisions of the same: Provided, That no person shall be arrested without process for any offense not committed in the presence of the supervisor or his inspectors or deputy inspectors, or either of them: And provided further, That whenever any such arrest is made the person or persons so arrested shall be brought forthwith before a magistrate judge, judge, or court of the United States for examination of the offenses alleged against him; and such magistrate judge, judge, or court shall proceed in respect thereto as authorized by law in case of crimes against the United States. Second. To go on board of any scow or towboat engaged in unlawful dumping of prohibited material, or in moving the same without a permit, as required in sections 443 to 448 of this title, or otherwise violating sections 443 to 448 of this title, and to seize and hold said boats until they are discharged by action of the magistrate judge, judge, or court of the United States before whom the offending persons are brought. Third. To arrest and take into custody any witness or witnesses to such unlawful dumping of prohibited material, the said witnesses to be released under proper bonds. Fourth. To go on board of any towboat having in tow scows or boats loaded with such prohibited material, and accompany the same to the place of dumping, whenever such action appears to be necessary to secure compliance with the requirements of this subchapter and of the Act aforesaid. Fifth. To enter gas and oil works and all other manufacturing works for the purpose of discovering the disposition made of sludge, acid, or other injurious material, whenever there is good reason to believe that such sludge, acid, or other injurious material is allowed to run into tidal waters of the harbor in violation of section 441 of this title.

33 U.S.C. § 447 Bribery of inspector; penalty

Every person who, directly or indirectly, gives any sum of money or other bribe, present, or reward, or makes any offer of the same to any inspector, deputy inspector, or other employee of the office of any supervisor of a harbor with intent to influence such inspector, deputy inspector, or other employee to permit or overlook any violation of the provisions of this subchapter, shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, and be imprisoned not less than six months nor more than one year.

33 U.S.C. § 448 Return of permit; penalty for failure to return

Every permit issued in accordance with the provisions of sections 443 to 448 of this title, which may not be taken up by an inspector or deputy inspector, shall be returned within four days after issuance to the office of the supervisor of the harbor; such permit shall bear an indorsement by the master of the towboat, or the person acting in such capacity, stating whether the permit has been used, and, if so, the time and place of dumping. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be liable to a fine of not more than $500 nor less than $100.

33 U.S.C. § 449 Disposition of dredged matter; persons liable; penalty

All mud, dirt, sand, dredgings, and material of every kind and description whatever taken, dredged, or excavated from any slip, basin, or shoal in any harbor subject to this subchapter, and placed on any boat, scow, or vessel for the purpose of being taken or towed upon the waters of that harbor to a place of deposit, shall be deposited and discharged at such place or within such limits as shall be defined and specified by the supervisor of the harbor, as in sections 443 to 448 of this title prescribed, and not otherwise. Every person, firm, or corporation being the owner of any slip, basin, or shoal, from which such mud, dirt, sand, dredgings, and material shall be taken, dredged, or excavated, and every person, firm, or corporation in any manner engaged in the work of dredging or excavating any such slip, basin, or shoal, or of removing such mud, dirt, sand, or dredgings therefrom, shall severally be responsible for the deposit and discharge of all such mud, dirt, sand, or dredgings at such place or within such limits so defined and prescribed by said supervisor of the harbor; and for every violation of the provisions of this section the person offending shall be guilty of an offense, and shall be punished by a fine equal to the sum of $5 for every cubic yard of mud, dirt, sand, dredgings, or material not deposited or discharged as required by this section.

33 U.S.C. § 450 Liability of vessel

Any boat or vessel used or employed in violating any provision of this subchapter, shall be liable to the pecuniary penalties imposed thereby, and may be proceeded against, summarily by way of libel in any district court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof.

33 U.S.C. § 451 Supervisor of harbor; appointment and duties

An officer of the Corps of Engineers shall, for each harbor subject to this subchapter, be designated by the Secretary of the Army as supervisor of the harbor, to act under the direction of the Chief of Engineers in enforcing the provisions of this subchapter, and in detecting offenders against the same. Each such officer shall have personal charge and supervision under the Chief of Engineers, and shall direct the patrol boats and other means to detect and bring to punishment offenders against the provisions of this subchapter.

33 U.S.C. § 451a Harbors subject to this subchapter

The following harbors shall be subject to this subchapter: (1) The harbor of New York. (2) The harbor of Hampton Roads. (3) The harbor of Baltimore.

33 U.S.C. § 451b Waters included within subchapter

For the purposes of this subchapter— (1) The term “harbor of New York” means the tidal waters of the harbor of New York, its adjacent and tributary waters, and those of Long Island Sound. (2) The term “harbor of Hampton Roads” means the tidal waters of the harbors of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton Roads, and their adjacent and tributary waters, so much of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries as lies within the State of Virginia, and so much of the Atlantic Ocean and its tributaries as lies within the jurisdiction of the United States within or to the east of the State of Virginia. (3) The term “harbor of Baltimore” means the tidal waters of the harbor of Baltimore and its adjacent and tributary waters, and so much of Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries as lies within the State of Maryland.

33 U.S.C. § 452 Taking shellfish or otherwise interfering with navigation in New York Harbor channels; penalty; arrest and procedure

It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to engage in fishing or dredging for shellfish in any of the channels leading to and from the harbor of New York, or to interfere in any way with the safe navigation of those channels by ocean steamships and ships of deep draft. Any person or persons violating the foregoing provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by fine or imprisonment, or both, such fine to be not more than $250 nor less than $50, and the imprisonment to be not more than six months nor less than thirty days, either or both united, as the judge before whom conviction is obtained shall decide. It shall be the duty of the United States supervisor of the harbor to enforce this section, and the deputy inspectors of the said supervisor shall have authority to arrest and take into custody, with or without process, any person or persons, who may commit any of the acts or offenses prohibited by this section: Provided, That no person shall be arrested without process for any offense not committed in the presence of the supervisor or his inspector or deputy inspectors, or either of them: And provided further, That whenever any such arrest is made the person or persons so arrested shall be brought forthwith before a magistrate judge, judge, or court of the United States for examination of the offenses alleged against him; and such magistrate judge, judge or court shall proceed in respect thereto as authorized by law in case of crimes against the United States.

33 U.S.C. § 453 Regulations for navigation of Ambrose Channel; exclusion of tows and sailing vessels

The Secretary of the Army is authorized to make such rules and regulations for the navigation of Ambrose Channel as he may deem necessary or expedient to insure its safe use in all kinds of weather, night and day, for all vessels under control and running under their own power, and to this end he may, in his discretion, forbid its use to tows of every description and to sailing vessels.

33 U.S.C. § 454 Consent of Congress to obstruction of waters by New York City

The consent of Congress is given to the city of New York, in the State of New York, to obstruct navigation of any river or other waterway which does not form a connecting link between other navigable waters of the United States, and lying wholly within the limits of said city, by closing all or any portion of the same or by building structures in or over the same when the said city shall be lawfully authorized to do so by the State of New York: Provided, however, That any such obstruction shall be unlawful unless the location and plans for the proposed work or works before the commencement thereof shall have been filed with and approved by the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Engineers; and when the plans for any such obstruction have been approved by the Chief of Engineers and by the Secretary of the Army it shall not be lawful to deviate from such plans either before or after the completion of such obstruction, unless the modification of such plans has previously been submitted to and received the approval of the Chief of Engineers and the Secretary of the Army: And provided further, That the city of New York shall be liable for any damage that may be inflicted upon private property by reason of any of the provisions of this section. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this section is expressly reserved, and the United States shall incur no liability for the alteration, amendment, or repeal thereof to the city of New York, or to the owner or owners, or any other persons interested in any obstruction which shall have been constructed under its provisions.

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