2015 US Code
Title 33 - Navigation and Navigable Waters (Sections 1 - 4009)
Chapter 25 - Ports and Waterways Safety Program (Sections 1221 - 1236)
Sec. 1232a - Navigational hazards

The Secretary shall establish a program to encourage fishermen and other vessel operators to report potential or existing navigational hazards involving pipelines to the Secretary through Coast Guard field offices.

(1) Upon notification by the operator of a pipeline of a hazard to navigation with respect to that pipeline, the Secretary shall immediately notify Coast Guard headquarters, the Office of Pipeline Safety, other affected Federal and State agencies, and vessel owners and operators in the pipeline's vicinity.

(2) Upon notification by any other person of a hazard or potential hazard to navigation with respect to a pipeline, the Secretary shall promptly determine whether a hazard exists, and if so shall immediately notify Coast Guard headquarters, the Office of Pipeline Safety, other affected Federal and State agencies, vessel owners and operators in the pipeline's vicinity, and the owner and operator of the pipeline.

The Secretary shall, within six months after November 16, 1990, establish standards, for the purposes of this section, for what constitutes a hazard to navigation.

For purposes of this section, the term "pipelines" has the meaning given the term "pipeline facilities" in section 60101(a)(18) of title 49.

(Pub. L. 92–340, §14, as added Pub. L. 101–599, §2, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3040.)

In subsec. (d), "section 60101(a)(18) of title 49" substituted for "the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 [49 App. U.S.C. 1671 et seq.] and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 [49 App. U.S.C. 2001 et seq.]" on authority of Pub. L. 103–272, §6(b), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1378, the first section of which enacted subtitles II, III, and V to X of Title 49, Transportation.

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.