USC Chapter 34

USC Chapter 34
in effect

43 U.S.C. § 1651 Congressional findings and declaration

The Congress finds and declares that: (a) The early development and delivery of oil and gas from Alaska’s North Slope to domestic markets is in the national interest because of growing domestic shortages and increasing dependence upon insecure foreign sources. (b) The Department of the Interior and other Federal agencies, have, over a long period of time, conducted extensive studies of the technical aspects and of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the proposed trans-Alaska oil pipeline, including consideration of a trans-Canada pipeline. (c) The earliest possible construction of a trans-Alaska oil pipeline from the North Slope of Alaska to Port Valdez in that State will make the extensive proven and potential reserves of low-sulfur oil available for domestic use and will best serve the national interest. (d) A supplemental pipeline to connect the North Slope with a trans-Canada pipeline may be needed later and it should be studied now, but it should not be regarded as an alternative for a trans-Alaska pipeline that does not traverse a foreign country.

43 U.S.C. § 1652 Authorizations for construction

(a) Congressional declaration of purposeThe purpose of this chapter is to insure that, because of the extensive governmental studies already made of this project and the national interest in early delivery of North Slope oil to domestic markets, the trans-Alaska oil pipeline be constructed promptly without further administrative or judicial delay or impediment. To accomplish this purpose it is the intent of the Congress to exercise its constitutional powers to the fullest extent in the authorizations and directions herein made and in limiting judicial review of the actions taken pursuant thereto. (b) Issuance, administration, and enforcement of rights-of-way, permits, leases, and other authorizationsThe Congress hereby authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior and other appropriate Federal officers and agencies to issue and take all necessary action to administer and enforce rights-of-way, permits, leases, and other authorizations that are necessary for or related to the construction, operation, and maintenance of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline system, including roads and airstrips, as that system is generally described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement issued by the Department of the Interior on March 20, 1972. The route of the pipeline may be modified by the Secretary to provide during construction greater environmental protection. (c) Applicability of statutes governing rights-of-way for pipelines through Federal lands; other statutory terms and conditions; waiver of procedural requirements; supersedure of administrative authorizations for constructionRights-of-way, permits, leases, and other authorizations issued pursuant to this chapter by the Secretary shall be subject to the provisions of section 185 of title 30, as amended by Pub. L. 93–153 (except the provisions of subsections (h)(1), (k), (q), (w)(2), and (x)); all authorizations issued by the Secretary and other Federal officers and agencies pursuant to this chapter shall include the terms and conditions required, and may include the terms and conditions permitted, by the provisions of law that would otherwise be applicable if this chapter had not been enacted, and they may waive any procedural requirements of law or regulation which they deem desirable to waive in order to accomplish the purposes of this chapter. The direction contained in subsection (b) shall supersede the provisions of any law or regulation relating to an administrative determination as to whether the authorizations for construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline shall be issued. (d) National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 bypassed; issuance of authorizations for construction and operation not to be subject to judicial review; time limits on charges of invalidity or unconstitutionality; jurisdiction; hearings; reviewThe actions taken pursuant to this chapter which relate to the construction and completion of the pipeline system, and to the applications filed in connection therewith necessary to the pipeline’s operation at full capacity, as described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement of the Department of the Interior, shall be taken without further action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.]; and the actions of the Federal officers concerning the issuance of the necessary rights-of-way, permits, leases, and other authorizations for construction and initial operation at full capacity of said pipeline system shall not be subject to judicial review under any law except that claims alleging the invalidity of this section may be brought within sixty days following November 16, 1973, and claims alleging that an action will deny rights under the Constitution of the United States, or that the action is beyond the scope of authority conferred by this chapter, may be brought within sixty days following the date of such action. A claim shall be barred unless a complaint is filed within the time specified. Any such complaint shall be filed in a United States district court, and such court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to determine such proceeding in accordance with the procedures hereinafter provided, and no other court of the United States, of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, or of the District of Columbia, shall have jurisdiction of any such claim whether in a proceeding instituted prior to or on or after November 16, 1973. Such court shall not have jurisdiction to grant any injunctive relief against the issuance of any right-of-way, permit, lease, or other authorization pursuant to this section except in conjunction with a final judgment entered in a case involving a claim filed pursuant to this section. An interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order of such district court may be reviewed only upon petition for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United States. (e) Amendment or modification of rights-of-way, permits, leases, or other authorizationsThe Secretary of the Interior and the other Federal officers and agencies are authorized at any time when necessary to protect the public interest, pursuant to the authority of this section and in accordance with its provisions, to amend or modify any right-of-way, permit, lease, or other authorization issued under this chapter.

43 U.S.C. § 1653 Liability for damages

(a) Activities along or in vicinity of pipeline right-of-way; strict liability; limitation on liability; subrogation; emergency subsistence and other aid; exemption for State of Alaska(1) Except when the holder of the pipeline right-of-way granted pursuant to this chapter can prove that damages in connection with or resulting from activities along or in the vicinity of the proposed trans-Alaskan pipeline right-of-way were caused solely by an act of war or negligence of the United States, other government entity, or the damaged party, such holder shall be strictly liable to all damaged parties, public or private, without regard to fault for such damages, and without regard to ownership of any affected lands, structures, fish, wildlife, or biotic or other natural resources relied upon by Alaska Natives, Native organizations, or others for subsistence or economic purposes. Claims for such injury or damages may be determined by arbitration or judicial proceedings. (2) Liability under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be limited to $350,000,000 for any one incident, and the holders of the right-of-way or permit shall be liable for any claim allowed in proportion to their ownership interest in the right-of-way or permit. Liability of such holders for damages in excess of $350,000,000 shall be in accord with ordinary rules of negligence. (3) In any case where liability without fault is imposed pursuant to this subsection and the damages involved were caused by the negligence of a third party, the rules of subrogation shall apply in accordance with the law of the jurisdiction where the damage occurred. (4) Upon order of the Secretary, the holder of a right-of-way or permit shall provide emergency subsistence and other aid to an affected Alaska Native, Native organization, or other person pending expeditious filing of, and determination of, a claim under this subsection. (5) Where the State of Alaska is the holder of a right-of-way or permit under this chapter, the State shall not be subject to the provisions of this subsection, but the holder of the permit or right-of-way for the trans-Alaska pipeline shall be subject to this subsection with respect to facilities constructed or activities conducted under rights-of-way or permits issued to the State to the extent that such holder engages in the construction, operation, maintenance, and termination of facilities, or in other activities under rights-of-way or permits issued to the State. (b) Control and removal of pollutants at expense of right-of-way holderIf any area in the State of Alaska within or without the right-of-way or permit area granted under this chapter is polluted by any activities related to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, including operation of the terminal, conducted by or on behalf of the holder to whom such right-of-way or permit was granted, and such pollution damages or threatens to damage aquatic life, wildlife, or public or private property, the control and total removal of the pollutant shall be at the expense of such holder, including any administrative and other costs incurred by the Secretary or any other Federal or State officer or agency. Upon failure of such holder to adequately control and remove such pollutant, the Secretary, in cooperation with other Federal, State, or local agencies, or in cooperation with such holder, or both, shall have the right to accomplish the control and removal at the expense of such holder.

43 U.S.C. § 1654 Antitrust laws

The grant of a right-of-way, permit, lease, or other authorization pursuant to this chapter shall grant no immunity from the operation of the Federal anti-trust laws.

43 U.S.C. § 1655 Roads and airports

A right-of-way, permit, lease, or other authorization granted under section 1652(b) of this title for a road or airstrip as a related facility of the trans-Alaska pipeline may provide for the construction of a public road or airstrip.

43 U.S.C. § 1656 Civil penalties

(a) PenaltyExcept as provided in subsection (c)(4), the Secretary of the Interior may assess and collect a civil penalty under this section with respect to any discharge of oil—(1) in transit from fields or reservoirs supplying oil to the trans-Alaska pipeline; or (2) during transportation through the trans-Alaska pipeline or handling at the terminal facilities, that causes damage to, or threatens to damage, natural resources or public or private property. (b) Persons liableIn addition to the person causing or permitting the discharge, the owner or owners of the oil at the time the discharge occurs shall be jointly, severally, and strictly liable for the full amount of penalties assessed pursuant to this section, except that the United States and the several States, and political subdivisions thereof, shall not be liable under this section. (c) Amount(1) The amount of the civil penalty shall not exceed $1,000 per barrel of oil discharged. (2) In determining the amount of civil penalty under this section, the Secretary shall consider the seriousness of the damages from the discharge, the cause of the discharge, any history of prior violations of applicable rules and laws, and the degree of success of any efforts by the violator to minimize or mitigate the effects of such discharge. (3) The Secretary may reduce or waive the penalty imposed under this section if the discharge was solely caused by an act of war, act of God, or third party action beyond the control of the persons liable under this section. (4) No civil penalty assessed by the Secretary pursuant to this section shall be in addition to a penalty assessed pursuant to section 1321(b) of title 33. (d) ProceduresA civil penalty may be assessed and collected under this section only after notice and opportunity for a hearing on the record in accordance with section 554 of title 5. In any proceeding for the assessment of a civil penalty under this section, the Secretary may issue subpoenas for the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of relevant papers, books, and documents and may promulgate rules for discovery procedures. Any person who requested a hearing with respect to a civil penalty under this subsection and who is aggrieved by an order assessing the civil penalty may file a petition for judicial review of such order with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit or for any other circuit in which such person resides or transacts business. Such a petition may only be filed within the 30-day period beginning on the date the order making such assessment was issued. (e) State law(1) Nothing in this section shall be construed or interpreted as preempting any State or political subdivision thereof from imposing any additional liability or requirements with respect to the discharge, or threat of discharge, of oil or other pollution by oil. (2) Nothing in this section shall affect or modify in any way the obligations or liabilities of any person under other Federal or State law, including common law, with respect to discharges of oil.

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