§ 2403. Prohibited acts

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. 1978

   Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

   Pub. L. 95–541 § 4 · 92 Stat. 2048

   Enacted · 16 U.S.C. § 2403

   Pub. L. 95–541, § 4, Oct. 28, 1978, 92 Stat. 2049

   Source evidence

   Code source credit
   Pub. L. 95–541, § 4, Oct. 28, 1978, 92 Stat. 2049

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   SEC. 4. PROHIBITED ACTS. (a) In General.— It is unlawful— (1) for any United States citizen, unless authorized by regulation prescribed under this Act or a permit issued under section 5— (A) to take within Antarctica any native mammal or native bird, (B) to collect within any specially protected area any native plant, (C) to introduce into Antarctica any animal or plant that is not indigenous to Antarctica, (D) to enter any specially protected area or site of special scientific interest, or (E) to discharge, or otherwise to dispose of, any pollutant within Antarctica; (2) for any United States citizen wherever located, or any foreign person while within the United States, unless authorized by regulation prescribed under this Act or a permit issued under section 5— (A) to possess, sell, offer for sale, deliver, receive, carry, transport, or ship by any means whatsoever, or (B) to import into the United States, to export from the United States, or to attempt to so import or export, any native mammal or native bird taken in Antarctica or any native plant collected in any specially protected area; (3) for any United States citizen wherever located, or any foreign person while within the United States, to violate any regulation prescribed under this Act; or (4) for any person, whether or not a United States citizen, to violate any term or condition of any permit issued under section 5. No act described in paragraphs (1) through (4) shall be unlawful if committed, under emergency circumstances, to prevent the loss of human life. (b) Exception.— Subsection (a) shall not apply to— (1) any native mammal, native bird, or native plant which is held in captivity on the date of the enactment of this Act; or (2) any offspring of (2) any such mammal, bird, or plant. With respect to any act prohibited by subsection (a) which occurs after the 180th day after such date of enactment, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the native mammal, native bird, or native plant involved in such act was not held in captivity on such date or was not an offspring referred to in paragraph (2).

2. 1996

   Antarctic Science, Tourism, and Conservation Act of 1996

   Pub. L. 104–227 title I § 103 · 110 Stat. 3034

   Amended · 16 U.S.C. § 2403

   Pub. L. 104–227 reenacted section catchline without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text consisted of subsec. (a) “In General”, which set forth unlawful acts in pars. (1) to (4) and provided that such acts would not be unlawful if committed under emergency circumstances to prevent the loss of human life, and subsec. (b) “Exception”, which provided that subsec. (a) would not apply with respect to any native mammal, native bird, or native plant held in captivity or to any offspring of such mammal, bird, or plant

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 104–227 reenacted section catchline without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text consisted of subsec. (a) “In General”, which set forth unlawful acts in pars. (1) to (4) and provided that such acts would not be unlawful if committed under emergency circumstances to prevent the loss of human life, and subsec. (b) “Exception”, which provided that subsec. (a) would not apply with respect to any native mammal, native bird, or native plant held in captivity or to any offspring of such mammal, bird, or plant.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   SEC. 103. PROHIBITED ACTS. Section 4 of the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2403) is amended to read as follows: “SEC. 4. PROHIBITED ACTS. “(a) In General.— It is unlawful for any person— “(1) to introduce any prohibited product onto land or ice shelves or into water in Antarctica; “(2) to dispose of any waste onto ice-free land areas or into fresh water systems in Antarctica; “(3) to dispose of any prohibited waste in Antarctica; “(4) to engage in open burning of waste; “(5) to transport passengers to, from, or within Antarctica by any seagoing vessel not required to comply with the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (33 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), unless the person has an agreement with the vessel owner or operator under which the owner or operator is required to comply with Annex IV to the Protocol; “(6) who organizes, sponsors, operates, or promotes a non-governmental expedition to Antarctica, and who does business in the United States, to fail to notify all members of the expedition of the environmental protection obligations of this Act, and of actions which members must take, or not take, in order to comply with those obligations; “(7) to damage, remove, or destroy a historic site or monument; “(8) to refuse permission to any authorized officer or employee of the United States to board a vessel, vehicle, or aircraft of the United States, or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, for the purpose of conducting any search or inspection in connection with the enforcement of this Act or any regulation promulgated or permit issued under this Act; “(9) to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any authorized officer or employee of the United States in the conduct of any search or inspection described in paragraph (8); “(10) to resist a lawful arrest or detention for any act prohibited by this section; “(11) to interfere with, delay, or prevent, by any means, the apprehension, arrest, or detention of another person, knowing that such other person has committed any act prohibited by this section; “(12) to violate any regulation issued under this Act, or any term or condition of any permit issued to that person under this Act; or “(13) to attempt to commit or cause to be committed any act prohibited by this section. “(b) Acts Prohibited Unless Authorized by Permit.— It is unlawful for any person, unless authorized by a permit issued under this Act— “(1) to dispose of any waste in Antarctica (except as otherwise authorized by the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships) including— “(A) disposing of any waste from land into the sea in Antarctica; and “(B) incinerating any waste on land or ice shelves in Antarctica, or on board vessels at points of embarcation or debarcation, other than through the use at remote field sites of incinerator toilets for human waste; “(2) to introduce into Antarctica any member of a nonnative species; “(3) to enter or engage in activities within any Antarctic Specially Protected Area; “(4) to engage in any taking or harmful interference in Antarctica; or “(5) to receive, acquire, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, import, export, or have custody, control, or possession of, any native bird, native mammal, or native plant which the person knows, or in the exercise of due care should have known, was taken in violation of this Act. “(c) Exception for Emergencies.— No act described in subsection (a)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (7), (12), or (13) or in subsection (b) shall be unlawful if the person committing the act reasonably believed that the act was committed under emergency circumstances involving the safety of human life or of ships, aircraft, or equipment or facilities of high value, or the protection of the environment.”.

2 of 2 references resolved to an enrolled provision