Title 33Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73

§419 Regulation by Secretary governing transportation and dumping of dredgings, refuse, etc., into navigable waters; oyster lands; appropriations

Title 33 › Chapter CHAPTER 9— - PROTECTION OF NAVIGABLE WATERS AND OF HARBOR AND RIVER IMPROVEMENTS GENERALLY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - IN GENERAL › § 419

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Army can make rules about moving or dumping dredged material, earth, garbage, and other refuse into navigable waters or waters next to them when needed to protect navigation. Those rules must be posted where the public can see them. Anyone who breaks the rules is guilty of a misdemeanor and faces the penalties in sections 411 and 412 of this title. The rules can be enforced as explained in section 413 of this title. The rules do not apply to waters used for oyster cultivation under state law, except for navigable channels improved by the United States or officially designated as navigable. When improving channels, dredged material cannot be dumped on oyster grounds unless done under the state’s laws. Costs to carry out these rules may come from funds for the harbor or waterway being improved, or, if none are available, from congressional appropriations for examinations, surveys, and contingencies of rivers and harbors.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §419

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary of the Army is authorized and empowered to prescribe regulations to govern the transportation and dumping into any navigable water, or waters adjacent thereto, of dredgings, earth, garbage, and other refuse materials of every kind or description, whenever in his judgment such regulations are required in the interest of navigation. Such regulations shall be posted in conspicuous and appropriate places for the information of the public; and every person or corporation which shall violate the said regulations, or any of them, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in section 411 and 412 of this title, for violation of the provisions of section 407 of this title: Provided, That any regulations made in pursuance hereof may be enforced as provided in section 413 of this title, the provisions whereof are made applicable to the said regulations: Provided further, That this section shall not apply to any waters within the jurisdictional boundaries of any State which are now or may hereafter be used for the cultivation of oysters under the laws of such State, except navigable channels which have been or may hereafter be improved by the United States, or to be designated as navigable channels by competent authority, and in making such improvements of channels, the material dredged shall not be deposited upon any ground in use in accordance with the laws of such State for the cultivation of oysters, except in compliance with said laws: And provided further, That any expense necessary in executing this section may be paid from funds available for the improvement of the harbor or waterway, for which regulations may be prescribed, and in case no such funds are available the said expense may be paid from appropriations made by Congress for examinations, surveys, and contingencies of rivers and harbors.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by section 205(a) of act
July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 501. section 205(a) of act
July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces” which in sections 3010 to 3013 continued Department of the Army under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army.

Transfer of Functions

Functions, powers, and duties of Secretary of the Army and other offices and officers of Department of the Army under section 401 of this title to extent that they relate generally to location and clearances of bridges and causeways in navigable waters of United States transferred to and vested in Secretary of Transportation by Pub. L. 89–670, § 6(g)(6)(A), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 941, which created Department of Transportation. Pub. L. 97–449 amended section 401 of this title to reflect transfer made by section 6(g)(6)(A) of Pub. L. 89–670, and repealed section 6(g)(6)(A).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 419

Title 33Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73