33 U.S.C. § 1955 — Federal information clearinghouse

Page 681 TITLE 33—NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS § 1956 Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–449, § 5(a)(2), inserted ‘‘public, interagency’’ before ‘‘forum’’. 1996—Pub. L. 104–324 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: ‘‘Not later than September 30, 1988, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the Congress a report on the effects of plastic materials on the marine environment. The report shall— ‘‘(1) identify and quantify the harmful effects of plastic materials on the marine environment; ‘‘(2) assess the specific effects of plastic materials on living marine resources in the marine environ- ment; ‘‘(3) identify the types and classes of plastic mate- rials that pose the greatest potential hazard to living marine resources; ‘‘(4) analyze, in consultation with the Director of the National Bureau of Standards, plastic materials which are claimed to be capable of reduction to envi- ronmentally benign submits under the action of nor- mal environmental forces (including biological de- composition, photodegradation, and hydrolysis); and ‘‘(5) recommend legislation which is necessary to prohibit, tax, or regulate sources of plastic materials that enter the marine environment.’’ Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relat- ing 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 Secu- rity, and the Department of Homeland Security Reor- ganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. § 1955. Federal information clearinghouse The Administrator, in coordination with the Interagency Committee, shall— (1) maintain a Federal information clearing- house on marine debris that will be available to researchers and other interested persons to improve marine debris source identification, data sharing, and monitoring efforts through collaborative research and open sharing of data; and (2) take the necessary steps to ensure the confidentiality of such information (especially proprietary information), for any information required by the Administrator to be submitted under this section. (Pub. L. 109–449, § 6, Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3338; Pub. L. 112–213, title VI, § 607, Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1578.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2012—Par. (2). Pub. L. 112–213 struck out ‘‘by the fish- ing industry’’ after ‘‘to be submitted’’. § 1956. Definitions In this chapter: (1) Administrator The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad- ministrator of the National Oceanic and At- mospheric Administration. (2) Interagency Committee The term ‘‘Interagency Committee’’ means the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee established under section 1954 of this title. (3) Marine debris The term ‘‘marine debris’’ means any per- sistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, inten- tionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes. (4) MARPOL; Annex V; Convention The terms ‘‘MARPOL’’, ‘‘Annex V’’, and ‘‘Convention’’ have the meaning given those terms under section 1901(a) of this title. (5) Program The term ‘‘Program’’ means the Marine De- bris Program established under section 1952 of this title. (6) Severe marine debris event The term ‘‘severe marine debris event’’ means atypically large amounts of marine de- bris caused by a natural disaster, including a tsunami, flood, landslide, or hurricane, or other source. (7) State The term ‘‘State’’ means— (A) any State of the United States that is impacted by marine debris within its sea- ward or Great Lakes boundaries; (B) the District of Columbia; (C) American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; and (D) any other territory or possession of the United States, or separate sovereign in free association with the United States, that is impacted by marine debris within its sea- ward boundaries. (Pub. L. 109–449, § 7, Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3338; Pub. L. 112–213, title VI, § 608, Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1578.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2012—Par. (2). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(1), substituted ‘‘section 1954 of this title’’ for ‘‘section 1914 of this title’’. Par. (3). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(2), added par. (3) and struck out former par. (3). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘The term ‘United States exclusive economic zone’ means the zone established by Presi- dential Proclamation Numbered 5030, dated March 10, 1983, including the ocean waters of the areas referred to as ‘eastern special areas’ in article 3(1) of the Agree- ment between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Maritime Boundary, signed June 1, 1990.’’ Par. (5). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(3)–(5), redesignated par. (7) as (5), struck out ‘‘Prevention and Removal’’ before ‘‘Program’’, and struck out former par. (5). Prior to amendment, text of par. (5) read as follows: ‘‘The term ‘navigable waters’ means waters of the United States, including the territorial sea.’’ Par. (6). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(6), added par. (6) and struck out former par. (6). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘The term ‘territorial sea’ means the waters of the United States referred to in Presidential Proclamation No. 5928, dated December 27, 1988.’’ Pars. (7), (8). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(7), redesignated par. (8) as (7). Former par. (7) redesignated (5).