§ 3718. Penalties

Statutory text

A person violating this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $25,000. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation.

Each vessel to which this chapter applies that is operated in violation of this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter is liable in rem for a civil penalty under this subsection.

A person willfully and knowingly violating this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter commits a class D felony.

Instead of the penalties provided by subsection (b) of this section, a person willfully and knowingly violating this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter, and using a dangerous weapon, or engaging in conduct that causes bodily injury or fear of imminent bodily injury to an official authorized to enforce this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter, commits a class C felony.

The district courts of the United States have jurisdiction to restrain a violation of this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter.

If any owner, operator, or individual in charge of a vessel is liable for any penalty or fine under this section, or if reasonable cause exists to believe that the owner, operator, or individual in charge may be subject to any penalty or fine under this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security, upon the request of the Secretary, shall with respect to such vessel refuse or revoke any clearance required by section 60105 of this title.

Clearance or a permit refused or revoked under this subsection may be granted upon filing of a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.

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.

1983
Pub. L. 98–89 · 97 Stat. 500
Enacted · 46 U.S.C. § 3718
Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 527
Source evidence
Code source credit
Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 527
1990
Oil Pollution Act of 1990
Pub. L. 101–380 § 4302(c)(1) · 104 Stat. 484
Substituted · 46 U.S.C. § 3718(b)
Pub. L. 101–380, § 4302(c)(1), substituted “commits a class D felony” for “shall be fined not more than $50,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–380, § 4302(c)(1), substituted “commits a class D felony” for “shall be fined not more than $50,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both”.
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(1) in subsection (b) by striking “shall be fined not more than $50,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.” and inserting “commits a class D felony.”; and
Effective date note
Amendment by Pub. L. 101–380 applicable to incidents occurring after Aug. 18, 1990, see section 1020 of Pub. L. 101–380, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2701 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.
1990
Oil Pollution Act of 1990
Pub. L. 101–380 § 4302(c)(2) · 104 Stat. 484
Substituted · 46 U.S.C. § 3718(c)
Pub. L. 101–380, § 4302(c)(2), substituted “commits a class C felony” for “shall be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–380, § 4302(c)(2), substituted “commits a class C felony” for “shall be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both”.
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(2) in subsection (c) by striking “shall be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both.” and inserting “commits a class C felony.”.
Effective date note
Amendment by Pub. L. 101–380 applicable to incidents occurring after Aug. 18, 1990, see section 1020 of Pub. L. 101–380, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2701 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.
1996
Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996
Pub. L. 104–324 title III § 312(d) · 110 Stat. 3901
Amended · 46 U.S.C. § 3718(e)
Pub. L. 104–324 amended subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (e) read as follows: “At the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury shall withhold or revoke the clearance required by section 4197 of the Revised Statutes (46 App. U.S.C. 91) of a vessel the owner or operator of which is subject to a penalty under this section. Clearance may be granted on filing a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 104–324 amended subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (e) read as follows: “At the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury shall withhold or revoke the clearance required by section 4197 of the Revised Statutes (46 App. U.S.C. 91) of a vessel the owner or operator of which is subject to a penalty under this section. Clearance may be granted on filing a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.”
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(d) Title 46, United States Code.— Section 3718(e) of title 46, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: “(e) (1) If any owner, operator, or individual in charge of a vessel is liable for any penalty or fine under this section, or if reasonable cause exists to believe that the owner, operator, or individual in charge may be subject to any penalty or fine under this section, the Secretary of the Treasury, upon the request of the Secretary, shall with respect to such vessel refuse or revoke any clearance required by section 4197 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (46 App. U.S.C. 91). “(2) Clearance or a permit refused or revoked under this subsection may be granted upon filing of a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.”.
2006
Pub. L. 109–304 § 15(17) · 120 Stat. 1485
Substituted · 46 U.S.C. § 3718(e)(1)
Pub. L. 109–304 substituted “Secretary of Homeland Security” and “section 60105 of this title” for “Secretary of the Treasury” and “section 4197 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (46 App. U.S.C. 91)”, respectively
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 109–304 substituted “Secretary of Homeland Security” and “section 60105 of this title” for “Secretary of the Treasury” and “section 4197 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (46 App. U.S.C. 91)”, respectively.
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(17) In section 3718(e)(1), strike “Secretary of the Treasury” and “section 4197 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (46 App. U.S.C. 91)” and substitute “Secretary of Homeland Security” and “section 60105 of this title”, respectively.

4 of 5 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 1 partial

Notes

historicalAndRevision

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section	Source section (U.S. Code)
3718	46:391a(14)

Section 3718 provides the authority to assess civil penalties for violation of the chapter or regulations. Each violation subjects the violator to a penalty not to exceed $25,000 for each violation and, in the case of a continuing violation, each day shall constitute a separate violation and the vessel is liable in rem. The procedures for assessing penalties are found in section 2107 of part A.

With respect to criminal penalties, a willful or knowing violation of the section or a regulation subjects the offender, upon conviction, to a criminal fine of not more than $50,000 for each violation or imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both. If the willful and knowing violation involves the use of a dangerous weapon or constitutes an assault or battery, the offender is subjected to a fine of not more than $100,000 or imprisonment of not more than 10 years, or both.

In addition, where the owner or operator of the vessel is subject to any of the penalties prescribed, the Secretary of the Treasury is directed to withhold required Customs clearance, at the request of the Secretary. Clearance may be granted upon the filing of a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.

Editorial Notes

Amendments1990–2006 · 3 rounds

2006

Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 109–304 substituted “Secretary of Homeland Security” and “section 60105 of this title” for “Secretary of the Treasury” and “section 4197 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (46 App. U.S.C. 91)”, respectively.

1996

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 104–324 amended subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (e) read as follows: “At the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury shall withhold or revoke the clearance required by section 4197 of the Revised Statutes (46 App. U.S.C. 91) of a vessel the owner or operator of which is subject to a penalty under this section. Clearance may be granted on filing a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.”

1990

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–380, § 4302(c)(1), substituted “commits a class D felony” for “shall be fined not more than $50,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–380, § 4302(c)(2), substituted “commits a class C felony” for “shall be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 101–380 applicable to incidents occurring after Aug. 18, 1990, see section 1020 of Pub. L. 101–380, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2701 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.

Credits

1983–2006 · 4 acts

1983Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 527
1990Pub. L. 101–380, title IV, § 4302(c), Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 538
1996Pub. L. 104–324, title III, § 312(d), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3921
2006Pub. L. 109–304, § 15(17), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1703.

Show as published

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 527; Pub. L. 101–380, title IV, § 4302(c), Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 538; Pub. L. 104–324, title III, § 312(d), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3921; Pub. L. 109–304, § 15(17), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1703.)