2017 US Code
Title 51 - National and Commercial Space Programs
Subtitle VI - Earth Observations
Chapter 601 - Land Remote Sensing Policy
Subchapter V - General Provisions
Sec. 60148 - Enforcement

(a) In General.—In order to ensure that unenhanced data from the Landsat system received solely for noncommercial purposes are not used for any commercial purpose, the Secretary (in collaboration with private sector entities responsible for the marketing and distribution of unenhanced data generated by the Landsat system) shall develop and implement a system for enforcing this prohibition, in the event that unenhanced data from the Landsat system are made available for noncommercial purposes at a different price than such data are made available for other purposes.

(b) Authority of Secretary.—Subject to subsection (d), the Secretary may impose any of the enforcement mechanisms described in subsection (c) against a person that—

(c) Enforcement Mechanisms.—Enforcement mechanisms referred to in subsection (b) may include civil penalties of not more than $10,000 (per day per violation), denial of further unenhanced data purchasing privileges, and any other penalties or restrictions the Secretary considers necessary to ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that unenhanced data provided for noncommercial purposes are not used to unfairly compete in the commercial market against private sector entities not eligible for data at the cost of fulfilling user requests.

(d) Procedures and Regulations.—The Secretary shall issue any regulations necessary to carry out this section and shall establish standards and procedures governing the imposition of enforcement mechanisms under subsection (b). The standards and procedures shall include a procedure for potentially aggrieved parties to file formal protests with the Secretary alleging instances where such unenhanced data have been, or are being, used for commercial purposes in violation of the terms of receipt of such data. The Secretary shall promptly act to investigate any such protest, and shall report annually to Congress on instances of such violations.

(Pub. L. 111–314, §3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3421.)

In subsection (d), in the second sentence, the words "have been, or are being" are substituted for "has been, or is being" to correct an error in the law.