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Title 14 — Coast Guard

Chapter 5 — Functions and Powers

§ 545. Marking of obstructions

Statutory text

The Secretary may mark for the protection of navigation any sunken vessel or other obstruction existing on the navigable waters or waters above the continental shelf of the United States in such manner and for so long as, in his judgment, the needs of maritime navigation require. The owner of such an obstruction shall be liable to the United States for the cost of such marking until such time as the obstruction is removed or its abandonment legally established or until such earlier time as the Secretary may determine. All moneys received by the United States from the owners of obstructions, in accordance with this section, shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts. This section shall not be construed so as to relieve the owner of any such obstruction from the duty and responsibility suitably to mark the same and remove it as required by law.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

  1. Title 14, United States Code, section —

    Pub. L. 81–393 · 63 Stat. 495

    Enacted · 14 U.S.C. § 545

    Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 501, § 86

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 501, § 86

  2. Pub. L. 89–191 · 79 Stat. 822

    Changed · 14 U.S.C. § 545

    Pub. L. 89–191 vested sole responsibility for wreck marking in the Coast Guard by giving the Secretary discretionary authority to mark wrecks or other similar obstructions for as long as in his judgment the needs of maritime navigation may require, by removing reference to responsibility of the Department of the Army to mark wrecks, after abandonment and before removal, and by giving the Secretary the authority to terminate an owner’s liability to pay the cost of marking a wreck

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 89–191 vested sole responsibility for wreck marking in the Coast Guard by giving the Secretary discretionary authority to mark wrecks or other similar obstructions for as long as in his judgment the needs of maritime navigation may require, by removing reference to responsibility of the Department of the Army to mark wrecks, after abandonment and before removal, and by giving the Secretary the authority to terminate an owner’s liability to pay the cost of marking a wreck.

  3. Pub. L. 93–283 § 1(3) · 88 Stat. 139

    Substituted · 14 U.S.C. § 545

    Pub. L. 93–283 substituted “the navigable waters or waters above the continental shelf of the United States” for “any navigable waters of the United States”

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 93–283 substituted “the navigable waters or waters above the continental shelf of the United States” for “any navigable waters of the United States”.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (1) Section 83 is amended by inserting the words “in or adjacent to the waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or on the high seas if that person, or public body, or instrumentality is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States,” between the word “navigation” and the word “without” in the first sentence thereof.

  4. Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018

    Pub. L. 115–282 title I § 105(b) · 132 Stat. 4192

    Changed · 14 U.S.C. § 545

    Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 86 of this title as this section

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 86 of this title as this section.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (b) Redesignations and Transfers.— (1) Requirement.— The sections of title 14, United States Code, identified in the table provided in paragraph (2) are amended— (A) by redesignating the sections as described in the table; and (B) by transferring the sections, as necessary, so that the sections appear after the table of sections for chapter 5 of such title (as added by subsection (a)), in the order in which the sections are presented in the table. (2) Table.— The table referred to in paragraph (1) is the following: Title 14 section number before redesignationSection heading (provided for identification purposes only-not amended)Title 14 section number after redesignation 92Secretary; general powers501 631Delegation of powers by the Secretary502 633Regulations503 93Commandant; general powers504 632Functions and powers vested in the Commandant505 520Prospective payment of funds necessary to provide medical care506 153Appointment of judges507 88Saving life and property521 89Law enforcement522 99Enforcement authority523 100Enforcement of coastwise trade laws524 95Special agents of the Coast Guard Investigative Service law enforcement authority525 637Stopping vessels; indemnity for firing at or into vessel526 91Safety of naval vessels527 104Protecting against unmanned aircraft528 81Aids to navigation authorized541 83Unauthorized aids to maritime navigation; penalty542 84Interference with aids to navigation; penalty543 85Aids to maritime navigation; penalty544 86Marking of obstructions545 642Deposit of damage payments546 643Rewards for apprehension of persons interfering with aids to navigation547 87Icebreaking in polar regions561 101Appeals and waivers562 103Notification of certain determinations563

2 of 4 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 2 partial

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 33, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 736 (R.S. 4676; June 17, 1910, ch. 301, § 6, 36 Stat. 538; Aug. 16, 1937, ch. 665, § 1, 50 Stat. 666; 1939 Reorg. Plan No. II, § 2(a), eff. , 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1432).

Changes were made in phraseology. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.

Editorial Notes

Amendments1965–2018 · 3 rounds

2018

Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 86 of this title as this section.

1974

Pub. L. 93–283 substituted “the navigable waters or waters above the continental shelf of the United States” for “any navigable waters of the United States”.

1965

Pub. L. 89–191 vested sole responsibility for wreck marking in the Coast Guard by giving the Secretary discretionary authority to mark wrecks or other similar obstructions for as long as in his judgment the needs of maritime navigation may require, by removing reference to responsibility of the Department of the Army to mark wrecks, after abandonment and before removal, and by giving the Secretary the authority to terminate an owner’s liability to pay the cost of marking a wreck.

Credits

1949–2018 · 4 acts
  1. 1949Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 501, § 86
  2. 1965Pub. L. 89–191, , 79 Stat. 822
  3. 1974Pub. L. 93–283, § 1(3), , 88 Stat. 139
  4. 2018renumbered § 545, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 105(b), , 132 Stat. 4200.
Show as published

(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 501, § 86; Pub. L. 89–191, , 79 Stat. 822; Pub. L. 93–283, § 1(3), , 88 Stat. 139; renumbered § 545, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 105(b), , 132 Stat. 4200.)

Parsed from the official OLRC USLM XML in data/usc_all/usc14.xml · release point 119-108 · OLRC build 2026-03-26

USLM identifier /us/usc/t14/s545