Title 43 — Public LandsRelease 119-73
§1315 Rights acquired under laws of United States unaffected
Title 43 › Chapter CHAPTER 29— - SUBMERGED LANDS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - LANDS BENEATH NAVIGABLE WATERS WITHIN STATE BOUNDARIES › § 1315
Summary
Any federal rights a person already got for land covered by this subchapter stay in place. Those rights are controlled by the U.S. law that was in effect when the rights were obtained. But these rules do not mean Congress is saying that the law actually applies to those lands or that the rights must be granted. Whether a law applies to the land is decided on its own and is not changed by this subchapter.
Full Legal Text
Title 43, §1315
Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Nothing contained in this subchapter or subchapter I shall affect such rights, if any, as may have been acquired under any law of the United States by any person in lands subject to this subchapter or subchapter I and such rights, if any, shall be governed by the law in effect at the time they may have been acquired: Provided, however, That nothing contained in this subchapter or subchapter I is intended or shall be construed as a finding, interpretation, or construction by the Congress that the law under which such rights may be claimed in fact or in law applies to the lands subject to this subchapter or subchapter I, or authorizes or compels the granting of such rights in such lands, and that the determination of the applicability or effect of such law shall be unaffected by anything contained in this subchapter or subchapter I.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
43 U.S.C. § 1315
Title 43 — Public Lands
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73