republic-os/legal/us/code/title-33/chapter-27/section-1401.md

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LegalText	33 U.S.C. § 1401	Congressional finding, policy, and declaration of purpose	us	united_states_code	code_section	33	NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS	27	OCEAN DUMPING	1401	33 U.S.C. § 1401	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc33@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t33/s1401	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-33/usc33.xml	be76448ed018ceaeeaf5f88824d374807f3e9e6c2bb754815ff9fb428ea4ffb0	de3d130b31eae77f8c0fc593f61b7287899297718d678d500eea123559828523	6d268bb880e7e74e19fdbe44edd0c195801e5c85d82825cb08a1c4e6dadf4551	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

33 U.S.C. § 1401 - Congressional finding, policy, and declaration of purpose

Text

(a) Dangers of unregulated dumping Unregulated dumping of material into ocean waters endangers human health, welfare, and amenities, and the marine environment, ecological systems, and economic potentialities.

(b) Policy of regulation and prevention or limitation The Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States to regulate the dumping of all types of materials into ocean waters and to prevent or strictly limit the dumping into ocean waters of any material which would adversely affect human health, welfare, or amenities, or the marine environment, ecological systems, or economic potentialities.

(c) Regulation of dumping and transportation for dumping purposes It is the purpose of this Act to regulate (1) the transportation by any person of material from the United States and, in the case of United States vessels, aircraft, or agencies, the transportation of material from a location outside the United States, when in either case the transportation is for the purpose of dumping the material into ocean waters, and (2) the dumping of material transported by any person from a location outside the United States, if the dumping occurs in the territorial sea or the contiguous zone of the United States.

(Pub. L. 92–532, § 2, Oct. 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 1052; Pub. L. 93–254, § 1(1), Mar. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 50.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextThis Act, referred to in subsec. (c), means Pub. L. 92–532, which is classified generally to this chapter, chapter 41 (§ 2801 et seq.) of this title, and chapters 32 (§ 1431 et seq.) and 32A (§ 1447 et seq.) of Title 16, Conservation.

Amendments1974—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 93–254 struck out statement of the purpose of this Act as being the regulation of transportation of material from the United States for dumping into ocean waters, and the dumping of material, transported from outside the United States, if the dumping occurs in ocean waters over which the United States has jurisdiction or over which it may exercise control, under accepted principles of international law, in order to protect its territory or territorial sea, now covered by subsec. (c) of this section. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 93–254 added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1974 AmendmentPub. L. 93–254, § 2, Mar. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 51, provided in part that amendment of subsecs. (b) and (c) of this section and sections 1402, 1411, and 1412(a), other than last sentence of subsec. (a), of this title, by Pub. L. 93–254 shall become effective Mar. 22, 1974.

Short Title of 1988 AmendmentPub. L. 100–688, title I, § 1001, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4139, provided that: “This title [enacting sections 1414b and 1414c of this title, amending sections 1268, 1412a, and 1414a of this title, and amending provisions set out as a note under section 2267 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988’.”

Short TitlePub. L. 92–532, § 1, Oct. 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 1052, provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter, chapter 41 (§ 2801 et seq.) of this title, and chapters 32 (§ 1431 et seq.) and 32A (§ 1447 et seq.) of Title 16, Conservation] may be cited as the ‘Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972’.”

Executive Documents

Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone of United States For extension of territorial sea and contiguous zone of United States, see Proc. No. 5928 and Proc. No. 7219, respectively, set out as notes under section 1331 of Title 43, Public Lands.

Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions For provisions relating to environmental effects abroad of major federal actions, see Ex. Ord. No. 12114, Jan. 4, 1979, 44 F.R. 1957, set out as a note under section 4321 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

Federal Compliance With Pollution Control Standards For provisions relating to the responsibility of the head of each Executive agency for compliance with applicable pollution control standards, see Ex. Ord. No. 12088, Oct. 13, 1978, 43 F.R. 47707, set out as a note under section 4321 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.