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Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters

Chapter 9 — Protection of Navigable Waters and of Harbor and River Improvements Generally

§ 449. Disposition of dredged matter; persons liable; penalty

Statutory text

All mud, dirt, sand, dredgings, and material of every kind and description whatever taken, dredged, or excavated from any slip, basin, or shoal in any harbor subject to this subchapter, and placed on any boat, scow, or vessel for the purpose of being taken or towed upon the waters of that harbor to a place of deposit, shall be deposited and discharged at such place or within such limits as shall be defined and specified by the supervisor of the harbor, as in sections 443 to 448 of this title prescribed, and not otherwise. Every person, firm, or corporation being the owner of any slip, basin, or shoal, from which such mud, dirt, sand, dredgings, and material shall be taken, dredged, or excavated, and every person, firm, or corporation in any manner engaged in the work of dredging or excavating any such slip, basin, or shoal, or of removing such mud, dirt, sand, or dredgings therefrom, shall severally be responsible for the deposit and discharge of all such mud, dirt, sand, or dredgings at such place or within such limits so defined and prescribed by said supervisor of the harbor; and for every violation of the provisions of this section the person offending shall be guilty of an offense, and shall be punished by a fine equal to the sum of $5 for every cubic yard of mud, dirt, sand, dredgings, or material not deposited or discharged as required by this section.

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. Pub. L. 50–496 § 4 · 25 Stat. 209

    Enacted · 33 U.S.C. § 449

    June 29, 1888, ch. 496, § 4, 25 Stat. 210

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    June 29, 1888, ch. 496, § 4, 25 Stat. 210

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    Sec. 4. That all mud, dirt, sand, dredgings, and material of every Disposal of matter dredged. kind and description whatever taken, dredged, or excavated from any slip, basin, or shoal in the harbor of New York, or the waters adjacent or tributary thereto, and placed on any boat, scow, or vessel for the purpose of being taken or towed upon the waters of the harbor of New York to a place of deposit, shall be deposited and discharged at such place or within such limits as shall be defined and specified by the supervisor of the harbor, as in the third section of this act prescribed, and not otherwise. Every person, firm, or corporation Responsibility. being the owner of any slip, basin, or shoal, from which such mud, dirt, sand, dredgings, and material shall be taken, dredged, or excavated, and every person, firm, or corporation in any manner engaged in the work of dredging or excavating any such slip, basin, or shoal, or of removing such mud, dirt. sand, or dredgings therefrom. shall severally be responsible for the deposit and discharge of all such mud, dirt, sand, or dredgings at such place or within such limits so defined and prescribed by said supervisor of the harbor; and for every violation of the provisions of this section the person offending shall be guilty of an offense against this act, and shall be punished by a fine equal to the sum of five dollars for every cubic yard of mud, dirt, sand, dredgings, or material not deposited or discharged as required by this section. Any boat or vessel used or employed Legal proceedings. in violating any provision of this act, shall be liable to the pecuniary penalties imposed thereby, and may be proceeded against, summarily by way of libel in any district court of the United States, having jurisdiction thereof.

  2. Pub. L. 85–802 § 1(5) · 72 Stat. 970

    1. Substituted · 33 U.S.C. § 449

      Pub. L. 85–802 substituted “any harbor subject to this subchapter” for “the harbor of New York, or the waters adjacent or tributary thereto”

    2. Substituted · 33 U.S.C. § 449

      Pub. L. 85–802 substituted “the waters of that harbor” for “the waters of the harbor of New York”

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 85–802 substituted “any harbor subject to this subchapter” for “the harbor of New York, or the waters adjacent or tributary thereto” and “the waters of that harbor” for “the waters of the harbor of New York”.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (1) The first section (33 U. S. C. 441) is amended by striking out “tidal waters of the harbor of New York, or its adjacent or tributary waters, or in those of Long Island Sound,”, and inserting in lieu thereof “waters of any harbor subject to this Act,”.

    Effective date note
    Amendment by Pub. L. 85–802 effective on sixtieth day after Aug. 28, 1958, see section 2 of Pub. L. 85–802, set out as a note under section 441 of this title.

3 of 3 references resolved to an enrolled provision

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Sections 443 to 448 of this title, referred to in text, were in the original “the third section of this Act”, meaning section 3 of act , which enacted sections 443 to 448 of this title. The provision of section 3 relating to specification of the limits within which to discharge is classified to section 443 of this title.

Codification

Section was enacted as part of section 4 of act , which enacted sections 449 and 450 of this title.

Amendments

1958—Pub. L. 85–802 substituted “any harbor subject to this subchapter” for “the harbor of New York, or the waters adjacent or tributary thereto” and “the waters of that harbor” for “the waters of the harbor of New York”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1958 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 85–802 effective on sixtieth day after , see section 2 of Pub. L. 85–802, set out as a note under section 441 of this title.

Credits

1888–1958 · 2 acts
  1. 1888June 29, 1888, ch. 496, § 4, 25 Stat. 210
  2. 1958Pub. L. 85–802, § 1(5), , 72 Stat. 970.
Show as published

(June 29, 1888, ch. 496, § 4, 25 Stat. 210; Pub. L. 85–802, § 1(5), , 72 Stat. 970.)

Parsed from the official OLRC USLM XML in data/usc_all/usc33.xml · release point 119-108 · OLRC build 2026-04-17

USLM identifier /us/usc/t33/s449