Title 43Public LandsRelease 119-73

§2102 Definitions

Title 43 › Chapter CHAPTER 39— - ABANDONED SHIPWRECKS › § 2102

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Gives simple meanings for important words used in this chapter. "Embedded" means stuck in the seabed or coral so you must dig to move the sediments to reach a wreck or its cargo. "National Register" means the National Register of Historic Places kept by the Secretary of the Interior under section 101 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a). "Public lands", "Indian lands", and "Indian tribe" use the meanings in the Archaeological Resource Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470aa–470ll). "Shipwreck" means a vessel or wreck and everything on board, including cargo and contents. "State" includes any State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. "Submerged lands" means lands under water as defined in section 1301 of this title, and the related lands of Puerto Rico (section 749 of title 48), Guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa (section 1705 of title 48), and the Northern Mariana Islands (section 801 of Public Law 94–241).

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §2102

Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For purposes of this chapter—
(a)the term “embedded” means firmly affixed in the submerged lands or in coralline formations such that the use of tools of excavation is required in order to move the bottom sediments to gain access to the shipwreck, its cargo, and any part thereof;
(b)the term “National Register” means the National Register of Historic Places maintained by the Secretary of the Interior under section 101 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a); 11 See References in Text note below.
(c)the terms “public lands”, “Indian lands”, and “Indian tribe” have the same meaning given the terms in the Archaeological Resource 22 So in original. Probably should be “Resources”. Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470aa–470ll);
(d)the term “shipwreck” means a vessel or wreck, its cargo, and other contents;
(e)the term “State” means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands; and
(f)the term “submerged lands” means the lands—
(1)that are “lands beneath navigable waters,” as defined in section 1301 of this title;
(2)of Puerto Rico, as described in section 749 of title 48;
(3)of Guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa, as described in section 1705 of title 48; and
(4)of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as described in section 801 of Public Law 94–241.1

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 101 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a), referred to in subsec. (b), is section 101 of Pub. L. 89–665, which was repealed and restated as chapters 3021 to 3027 and section 302902(a), 302903(a), 302904 to 302909, 303902, 303903, and 306101(b) and (c) of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs, by Pub. L. 113–287, §§ 3, 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094, 3272. The Archaeological Resource Protection Act of 1979, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 96–95, Oct. 31, 1979, 93 Stat. 721, which is classified generally to chapter 1B (§ 470aa et seq.) of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 470aa of Title 16 and Tables. section 801 of Public Law 94–241, referred to in subsec. (f)(4), probably means section 801 of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, as contained in section 1 of Pub. L. 94–241, Mar. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 263, which is set out as a note under section 1801 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 2102

Title 43Public Lands

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73