US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 9118

Marine environmental protection and safety of life and property at sea

(a)

Coast Guard operations

The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall, subject to recognized principles of international law, prescribe by regulation and enforce procedures with respect to any ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship licensed under this chapter, including, but not limited to, rules governing vessel movement, procedures for transfer of materials between such a facility or plantship and transport vessels, designation and marking of anchorage areas, maintenance, law enforcement, and the equipment, training, and maintenance required (1) to promote the safety of life and property at sea, (2) to prevent pollution of the marine environment, (3) to clean up any pollutants which may be discharged, and (4) to otherwise prevent or minimize any adverse impact from the construction and operation of such ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship.

(b)

Promotion of safety of life and property

The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall issue and enforce regulations, subject to recognized principles of international law, with respect to lights and other warning devices, safety equipment, and other matters relating to the promotion of safety of life and property on any ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship licensed under this chapter.

(c)

Marking components for protection of navigation

Whenever a licensee fails to mark any component of such an ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship in accordance with applicable regulations, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall mark such components for the protection of navigation, and the licensee shall pay the cost of such marking.

(d)

Safety zones

(1)
section 9112(d) of this title Subject to recognized principles of international law and after consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall designate a zone of appropriate size around and including any ocean thermal energy conversion facility licensed under this chapter and may designate such a zone around and including any ocean thermal energy conversion plantship licensed under this chapter for the purposes of navigational safety and protection of the facility or plantship. The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall by regulation define permitted activities within such zone consistent with the purpose for which it was designated. The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall, not later than 30 days after publication of notice pursuant to , designate such safety zone with respect to any proposed ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship.
(2)
In addition to any other regulations, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating is authorized, in accordance with this subsection, to establish a safety zone to be effective during the period of construction of an ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship licensed under this chapter, and to issue rules and regulations relating thereto.
(3)
Except in a situation involving force majeure, a licensee of an ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship shall not permit a vessel, registered in or flying the flag of a foreign state, to call at, load or unload cargo at, or otherwise utilize such a facility or plantship licensed under this chapter unless (A) the foreign state involved has agreed, by specific agreement with the United States, to recognize the jurisdiction of the United States over the vessel and its personnel, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, while the vessel is located within the safety zone, and (B) the vessel owner or operator has designated an agent in the United States for receipt of service of process in the event of any claim or legal proceeding resulting from activities of the vessel or its personnel while located within such a safety zone.
(e)

Rules and regulations; vessels; “ocean thermal energy conversion facility” defined

(1)
The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall promulgate and enforce regulations specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection and such other regulations as he deems necessary concerning the documentation, design, construction, alteration, equipment, maintenance, repair, inspection, certification, and manning of ocean thermal energy conversion facilities and plantships. In addition to other requirements prescribed under those regulations, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may require compliance with those vessel documentation, inspection, and manning laws which he determines to be appropriate.
(2)
Within 1 year after , the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall promulgate regulations under paragraph (1) of this subsection which require that any ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship—
(A)
be documented;
(B)
comply with minimum standards of design, construction, alteration, and repair; and
(C)
be manned or crewed by United States citizens or aliens lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, unless—
(i)
there is not a sufficient number of United States citizens, or aliens lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, qualified and available for such work, or
(ii)
the President makes a specific finding, with respect to the particular vessel, platform, or moored, fixed or standing structure, that application of this requirement would not be consistent with the national interest.
(3)
46 U.S.C. 911–984 For the purposes of the documentation laws, for which compliance is required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, ocean thermal energy conversion facilities and plantships shall be deemed to be vessels and, if documented, vessels of the United States for the purposes of the Ship Mortgage Act, 1920 ().
(4)
1
1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.
For the purposes of this subsection the term “ocean thermal energy conversion facility” refers only to an ocean thermal energy conversion facility which has major components other than water intake or discharge pipes located seaward of the highwater mark 
(f)

Protection of navigation

Subject to recognized principles of international law, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall promulgate and enforce such regulations as he deems necessary to protect navigation in the vicinity of a vessel engaged in the installation, repair, or maintenance of any submarine electric transmission cable or equipment, and to govern the markings and signals used by such a vessel.

Pub. L. 96–320, title I, § 10894 Stat. 986Pub. L. 98–623, title VI, § 602(a)(6)98 Stat. 3410–3412(, , ; , (7), (e)(1), (15), , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 96–32094 Stat. 974section 9101 of this titleThis chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a), (b), and (d), was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , 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 under and Tables.

act June 5, 1920, ch. 25041 Stat. 1000Pub. L. 100–710, title I, § 106(b)(2)102 Stat. 4752Pub. L. 109–304, § 6(b)120 Stat. 1509section 116 of Title 46The Ship Mortgage Act, 1920, referred to in subsec. (e)(3), is section 30 of , , which was classified generally to chapter 25 (§ 911 et seq.) of former Title 46, Shipping, and was repealed by , , , and reenacted by section 102(c) thereof as chapters 301 and 313 of Title 46, Shipping. Chapter 301 of Title 46, consisting solely of section 30101 which defined, among other terms, “vessel of the United States”, was subsequently repealed by , , . For a definition of “vessel of the United States” as that term applies to Title 46, see .

Amendments

Pub. L. 98–623, § 602(e)(1)1984—Subsec. (d)(1). , substituted “navigational safety” for “reorganizational safety”.

Pub. L. 98–623, § 602(e)(15)section 9119 of this titleSubsec. (d)(3). , added par. (3) by inserting text of former subsec. (b)(3) of .

Pub. L. 98–623, § 602(a)(6)Subsec. (e)(2)(C)(ii). , substituted “moored, fixed or standing” for “moored or standing”.

Pub. L. 98–623, § 602(a)(7)Subsec. (e)(4). , added par. (4).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

section 542 of Title 6For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under .