republic-os/legal/us/code/title-42/chapter-99/section-9101.md

type, title, description, jurisdiction, corpus, kind, title_number, title_name, chapter_number, chapter_name, section, citation, status, release_point, release_date, source, source_url, source_identifier, source_file, source_hash, raw_snapshot_hash, text_hash, retrieved_at, confidence, tags

type	title	description	jurisdiction	corpus	kind	title_number	title_name	chapter_number	chapter_name	section	citation	status	release_point	release_date	source	source_url	source_identifier	source_file	source_hash	raw_snapshot_hash	text_hash	retrieved_at	confidence	tags
LegalText	42 U.S.C. § 9101	Congressional declaration of policy	us	united_states_code	code_section	42	THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE	99	OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION	9101	42 U.S.C. § 9101	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t42/s9101	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml	457a3a3d527426ecb21ff760c66c55408757c8d7336b7bac69ee05b1c0351352	644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e	446d18744e7e2a01783c78bd1e76efb0d6401ec3d53710c7290a0016776dde9a	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

42 U.S.C. § 9101 - Congressional declaration of policy

Text

(a) It is declared to be the purposes of the Congress in this chapter to—

(1) authorize and regulate the construction, location, ownership, and operation of ocean thermal energy conversion facilities connected to the United States by pipeline or cable, or located in whole or in part between the highwater mark and the seaward boundary of the territorial sea of the United States consistent with the Convention on the High Seas, and general principles of international law;

(2) authorize and regulate the construction, location, ownership, and operation of ocean thermal energy conversion plantships documented under the laws of the United States, consistent with the Convention on the High Seas and general principles of international law;

(3) authorize and regulate the construction, location, ownership, and operation of ocean thermal energy conversion plantships by United States citizens, consistent with the Convention on the High Seas and general principles of international law;

(4) establish a legal regime which will permit and encourage the development of ocean thermal energy conversion as a commercial energy technology;

(5) provide for the protection of the marine and coastal environment, and consideration of the interests of ocean users, to prevent or minimize any adverse impact which might occur as a consequence of the development of such ocean thermal energy conversion facilities or plantships;

(6) make applicable certain provisions of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. 1177 et seq.) 11 See References in Text note below. to assist in financing of ocean thermal energy conversion facilities and plantships;

(7) protect the interests of the United States in the location, construction, and operation of ocean thermal energy conversion facilities and plantships; and

(8) protect the rights and responsibilities of adjacent coastal States in ensuring that Federal actions are consistent with approved State coastal zone management programs and other applicable State and local laws.

(b) The Congress declares that nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect the legal status of the high seas, the superjacent airspace, or the seabed and subsoil, including the Continental Shelf.

(Pub. L. 96–320, § 2, Aug. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 974; Pub. L. 98–623, title VI, § 602(a)(1), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3410.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextThis chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 96–320, Aug. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 974, known as the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables. The Merchant Marine Act, 1936, referred to in subsec. (a)(6), is act June 29, 1936, ch. 858, 49 Stat. 1985, which was classified principally to chapter 27 (§ 1101 et seq.) of the former Appendix to Title 46, Shipping. The Act, with the exception of title V, most of title VI, and sections 301, 801, 802, 809(a), and 909 thereof, was repealed and restated, mainly in subtitle V of Title 46, by Pub. L. 109–304, §§ 8, 19, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1555, 1710. Title V and sections 301 and 909 of the Act are set out as notes under section 53101 of Title 46. Those portions of title VI not repealed by Pub. L. 109–304 and sections 802 and 809(a) of the Act were repealed by Pub. L. 114–120, title III, § 313(a), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 58. Section 801 of the Act was transferred to section 57522 of Title 46 by Pub. L. 114–120, title III, § 313(c)(1)(A), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 58. For complete classification of the Act to the Code, see Tables. For disposition of sections of the former Appendix to Title 46, see Disposition Table preceding section 101 of Title 46.

Amendments1984—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 98–623 substituted “located in whole or in part between the highwater mark and the seaward boundary of the territorial sea” for “located in the territorial sea”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short TitlePub. L. 96–320, § 1, Aug. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 974, provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter and section 1279c of Title 46, Appendix, Shipping, amending sections 1271, 1273, and 1274 of Title 46, Appendix, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 1273 of Title 46, Appendix] may be cited as the ‘Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980’.”

Executive Documents

Territorial Sea of United States For extension of territorial sea of United States, see Proc. No. 5928, set out as a note under section 1331 of Title 43, Public Lands.