PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The General Services Administration (GSA) can give a Coast Guard ship or aircraft to an eligible group for public uses like education, history, charity, or recreation when the law allows and the Commandant asks for it. The new owner must provide the paperwork and follow the special rules in 41 C.F.R. §102.37.225 and §102.37.460 as they were on the date the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 was enacted. The owner must let the U.S. use the craft in war or a national emergency and must protect the U.S. from claims for hazardous-material exposure after the transfer, except for claims that happen when the U.S. uses it under that wartime rule. This does not change other laws about handling hazardous materials. Eligible entities include state or local governments, nonprofits, schools, community development groups, or similar organizations that agree to these conditions.

Title 14, §510

Coast Guard, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In General.—

On request by the Commandant, the Administrator of the General Services Administration may transfer ownership of a Coast Guard vessel or aircraft to an eligible entity for educational, cultural, historical, charitable, recreational, or other public purposes if such transfer is authorized by law.

(b)Conditions of Conveyance.—

The General Services Administration may not convey a vessel or aircraft to an eligible entity as authorized by law unless the eligible entity agrees—

(1)to provide the documentation needed by the General Services Administration to process a request for aircraft or vessels as if the request were being processed under section 102.37.225 of title 41, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the enactment of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022;

(2)to comply with the special terms, conditions, and restrictions imposed on aircraft and vessels under section 102.37.460 of such title, as in effect on the date of the enactment of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022;

(3)to make the vessel available to the United States Government if it is needed for use by the Commandant in time of war or a national emergency; and

(4)to hold the United States Government harmless for any claims arising from exposure to hazardous materials, including asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls, that occurs after conveyance of the vessel, except for claims arising from use of the vessel by the United States Government under paragraph (3).

(c)Other Obligations Unaffected.—

Nothing in this section amends or affects any obligation of the Coast Guard or any other person under the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) or any other law regarding use or disposal of hazardous materials including asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls.

(d)Eligible Entity Defined.—

In this section, the term “eligible entity” means a State or local government, nonprofit corporation, educational agency, community development organization, or other entity that agrees to comply with the conditions established under this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of the enactment of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), (2), is the date of enactment of div. K of Pub. L. 117–263, which was approved Dec. 23, 2022. The Toxic Substances Control Act, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 94–469, Oct. 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 2003, which is classified generally to chapter 53 (§ 2601 et seq.) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2601 of Title 15 and Tables. Codification Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, § 914, Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3018, formerly set out as a note under section 501 of this title, was redesignated as this section, transferred to appear after section 509 of this title, and amended so that the enumerator, section catchline, typeface, and typestyle conformed to those appearing in other sections of this title by Pub. L. 117–263, § 11258(a).

Prior Provisions

A prior section 510 was renumbered section 2762 of this title.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–263, § 11258(c)(1), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Whenever the transfer of ownership of a Coast Guard vessel or aircraft to an eligible entity for use for educational, cultural, historical, charitable, recreational, or other public purposes is authorized by law or declared excess by the Commandant, the Coast Guard shall transfer the vessel or aircraft to the General Services Administration for conveyance to the eligible entity.” Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 117–263, § 11258(c)(2)(A), inserted “as if the request were being processed” after “vessels” and “, as in effect on the date of the enactment of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022” after “Code of Federal

Regulations

”. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 117–263, § 11258(c)(2)(B), inserted “, as in effect on the date of the enactment of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022” after “such title”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 117–263, § 11258(c)(2)(C), struck out “of the Coast Guard” after “Commandant”.

§510 Conveyance of Coast Guard Vessels for Public Purposes