US Code

Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

44 U.S.C. § 1307

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: nautical products, sale and distribution

(a)
(1)
All nautical products created or published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall be sold at such prices as the Secretary of Commerce shall establish annually, in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The Secretary shall publish annually the prices at which nautical products are sold to the public.
(2)
(A)
Subject to subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, the prices of nautical products may be increased over a period of not less than three years after the date of enactment of this section so as to recover all costs attributable to data base management, compilation, printing, and distribution of such products. The prices of such products may be maintained to recover all such costs thereafter.
(B)
The Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, shall adjust the prices of nautical products in such manner as is necessary to avoid any adverse impact on marine safety attributable to the prices specified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
(3)
This section shall not be construed to require the establishment of any price for a nautical product where, in the judgment of the Secretary, furnishing of that product to a recipient is a reasonable exchange for voluntary contribution of information by the recipient to a program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
(4)
Prices established under this section may not include costs attributable to the acquisition or processing of nautical data.
(b)
Fees collected from the sale of nautical products under this section and from any licensing of such products which is permitted under any other provision of law shall be deposited in the miscellaneous receipts fund of the United States Treasury.
(c)
The Secretary may distribute nautical products—
(1)
without charge to each foreign government or international organization with which the Secretary or a Federal department or agency has an agreement for exchange of these products without cost; and
(2)
at prices which the Secretary establishes, to the departments and officers of the United States requiring them for official use.
(d)
The fees provided for in this section are for the purpose of reimbursing the United States Government for the costs of creating, publishing or distributing nautical products of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The collection of fees authorized by this section shall not alter or expand any duty or liability of the United States under existing law for the performance of functions for which fees are collected, nor shall the collection of fees constitute an express or implied undertaking by the United States to perform any activity in a certain manner.
(e)
For purposes of this section, the term “nautical products” includes all nautical charts, tide and tidal current tables, tidal current charts, coast pilots, water level products, and associated data bases which are created or published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Pub. L. 90–62082 Stat. 1266 Pub. L. 99–272, title VI, § 6011(a)100 Stat. 121 Pub. L. 105–362, title II, § 201(a)112 Stat. 3282 Pub. L. 106–181, title VI, § 606(a)114 Stat. 154 (, , ; , , ; , , ; –(c), , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Jan. 12, 1895, ch. 23, § 76 28 Stat. 620 Feb. 14, 1903, ch. 552 32 Stat. 826 39 Stat. 320 June 5, 1920, ch. 235, § 1 41 Stat. 929 Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 654, § 3(11) 65 Stat. 708 July 9, 1956, ch. 528 70 Stat. 512 Pub. L. 88–44178 Stat. 446 Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., § 246 (, ; , §§ 4, 10, , 829; ch. 209, § 1, ; , ; , ; , ; , , ).

The reference to the Environmental Science Service Administration is inserted on the authority of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1965.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 99–272The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(A), probably means the date of enactment of , which was approved .

Amendments

Pub. L. 106–181, § 606(a)(1)2000—, struck out “and aeronautical” after “nautical” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 106–181, § 606(a)(2)Subsec. (a)(1), (2)(A). , struck out “and aeronautical” after “nautical” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 106–181, § 606(a)(2)Subsec. (a)(2)(B). , (b), struck out “or aeronautical” after “nautical” and “aviation and” after “impact on”.

Pub. L. 106–181, § 606(a)(2)Subsec. (a)(3), (4). , struck out “or aeronautical” after “nautical”.

Pub. L. 106–181, § 606(a)(2)Subsec. (b). , struck out “or aeronautical” after “nautical”.

Pub. L. 106–181, § 606(a)(2)Subsec. (c). , struck out “and aeronautical” after “nautical” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 106–181, § 606(c)Subsec. (d). , struck out “aeronautical and” after “publishing or distributing”.

Pub. L. 106–181, § 606(a)(2)Subsec. (e). , struck out “and aeronautical” after “nautical” in two places.

Pub. L. 105–3621998—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). struck out at end “At the end of such period and every three years thereafter, the Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, shall report to the Congress on the effect of imposing or maintaining such increased prices, including any impact on aviation and marine safety.”

Pub. L. 99–2721986—Subsec. (a). amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “The charts published by the Environmental Science Service Administration shall be sold at cost of paper and printing as nearly as practicable. The price to the public shall include all expenses incurred in actual reproduction of the charts after the original cartography, such as photography, opaquing, platemaking, press time and bindery operations; the full postage rates, according to the rates for postal services used; and any additional cost factors considered appropriate by the Secretary such as overhead and administrative expenses allocable to the production of the charts and related reference materials. The costs of basic surveys and geodetic work done may not be included in the price of the charts and reference materials. The Secretary of Commerce shall publish the prices at which charts and reference materials are sold to the public at least once each calendar year.”

Pub. L. 99–272Subsec. (b). amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “There may not be free distribution of charts except to the departments and officers of the United States requiring them for public use; and a number of copies of each sheet, not to exceed three hundred, to be presented to such foreign governments, libraries, and scientific associations, and institutions of learning as the Secretary of Commerce directs; but on the order of Senators and Representatives not to exceed one hundred copies to each may be distributed through the Environmental Science Service Administration.”

Pub. L. 99–272Subsecs. (c) to (e). added subsecs. (c) to (e).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–181section 3 of Pub. L. 106–181section 106 of Title 49Amendment by applicable only to fiscal years beginning after , see , set out as a note under , Transportation.

Transfer of Functions

section 44721(c)(3) of Title 49Functions of Secretary and other officers of Department of Commerce under this section that relate to the Office of Aeronautical Charting and Cartography to provide aeronautical charts and related products and services for safe and efficient navigation of air commerce transferred to Administrator of Federal Aviation Administration effective , see , Transportation.

Sale of Aeronautical Charts: Disposition of Receipts Resulting From Price Increase

Pub. L. 103–317, title II108 Stat. 1741

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationoperations, research, and facilities“That hereafter all receipts received from the sale of aeronautical charts that result from an increase in the price of individual charts above the level in effect for such charts on , shall be deposited in this account [ and ] as an offsetting collection and shall be available for obligation.”
, , , provided in part:

Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation act:

Pub. L. 103–121, title II107 Stat. 1170 , , .

Price Freeze on Charts and Other Products of NOAA

Pub. L. 102–567, title IV, § 405106 Stat. 4292

section 1307 of title 44“Notwithstanding , United States Code, the price of nautical charts or other nautical products produced or published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and sold after the date of the enactment of this Act [] shall not exceed the price of that type of chart or product on the date of enactment of this Act adjusted for inflation. This section shall not apply after .”
, , , provided that: