§1981 — Title 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters | U.S. Code

Summary

Defines key words used in the chapter. Circular economy, EPA Administrator, nonprofit organization, post-consumer materials management, and Under Secretary are defined in section 4201. Indian Tribe and Tribal organization are defined in section 5304 of title 25. Interagency Committee means the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee (see section 1954). Program means the Marine Debris Program (see section 1952). MARPOL, Annex V, and Convention are defined under section 1901(a). Marine debris means man-made solid material that ends up in the ocean or Great Lakes. Severe marine debris event means unusually large amounts of that debris from disasters like tsunamis, floods, landslides, hurricanes, or similar causes. Non-Federal funds covers eight sources: a State; an Indian Tribe; a U.S. territory; local governments or Tribal organizations; a foreign government; a for-profit business; a nonprofit; or a private person. State includes U.S. States affected at sea or in the Great Lakes, Indian Tribes, D.C., named territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands), and other U.S. territories or freely associated states impacted at sea. Tribal Government means the governing body of a listed Indian or Alaska Native group as shown in the list published under section 5131 of title 25, most recently as of December 26, 2025.

Title 33, §1981

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In this chapter:

(1)The term “circular economy” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

(2)The term “coastal shoreline community” means a city or county directly adjacent to the open ocean, major estuaries, or the Great Lakes.

(3)The term “EPA Administrator” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

(4)The term “Indian Tribe” has the meaning given that term in section 5304 of title 25.

(5)The term “Interagency Committee” means the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee established under section 1954 of this title.

(6)The term “marine debris” means any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.

(7)The terms “MARPOL”, “Annex V”, and “Convention” have the meaning given those terms under section 1901(a) of this title.

(8)The term “non-Federal funds” means funds provided by—

(A)a State;

(B)an Indian Tribe;

(C)a territory of the United States;

(D)one or more units of local governments or Tribal organizations;

(E)a foreign government;

(F)a private for-profit entity;

(G)a nonprofit organization; or

(H)a private individual.

(9)The term “nonprofit organization” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

(10)The term “post-consumer materials management” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

(11)The term “Program” means the Marine Debris Program established under section 1952 11 See References in Text note below. of this title.

(12)The term “severe marine debris event” means atypically large amounts of marine debris caused by a natural disaster, including a tsunami, flood, landslide, or hurricane, or other source.

(13)The term “State” means—

(A)any State of the United States that is impacted by marine debris within its seaward or Great Lakes boundaries;

(B)Indian Tribe;

(C)the District of Columbia;

(D)American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; and

(E)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 seaward boundaries.

(14)The term “Tribal Government” means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, component band, or component reservation, individually identified (including parenthetically) in the list published most recently as of December 26, 2025, pursuant to section 5131 of title 25.

(15)The term “Tribal organization” has the meaning given the term in section 5304 of title 25.

(16)The term “Under Secretary” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1952 of this title, referred to in par. (11), was in the original “section 3”, and was translated as reading “section 101” of Pub. L. 109–449 to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the renumbering of section 3 as 101 by Pub. L. 119–65, § 2(a)(2). Codification Section was formerly classified to section 1956 of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 119–65.

Amendments

2025—Par. (1). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(1), (3), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which defined “Administrator” as the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Pars. (2) to (7). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(2), (3), added pars. (2) to (4) and redesignated former pars. (2) to (4) as (5) to (7), respectively. Former pars. (5) to (7) redesignated (11) to (13), respectively. Par. (8). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(b)(1), transferred par. (7) of section 4201 of this title to par. (8) of this section. Par. (8)(D). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(c), struck out “(as defined in section 5304 of title 25)” after “Tribal organizations”. Pars. (9), (10). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(4), added pars. (9) and (10). Pars. (11) to (13). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(2), redesignated pars. (5) to (7) as (11) to (13), respectively. Par. (13)(B) to (E). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(6), added subpar. (B) and redesignated former subpars. (B) to (D) as (C) to (E), respectively. Pars. (14) to (16). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(5), added pars. (14) to (16). 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 Presidential 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 Agreement 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).

§1981 Definitions