Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-110

§1513 Public Access to Information

Title 33 › CHAPTER 29 — DEEPWATER PORTS › § 1513

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Federal officials must let the public see and buy copies of communications, documents, reports, or information about a deepwater port when someone asks, as long as the cost is reasonable. Information that is protected by law does not have to be released. The Secretary must keep trade secrets and certain contract information private. That information can be shared only in ways that keep it confidential: with other federal or nearby coastal state agencies for official use; with congressional committees that handle the topic; in a court if a judge orders it kept secret; or with the public to protect health and safety after giving notice and a chance to comment or discuss in closed session within 15 days, unless waiting would harm public health or safety.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §1513

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Inspection of copies; reproduction costs; protected information

Copies of any communication, document, report, or information transmitted between any official of the Federal Government and any person concerning a deepwater port (other than contracts referred to in section 1504(c)(2)(B) of this title) shall be made available to the public for inspection, and shall be available for the purpose of reproduction at a reasonable cost, to the public upon identifiable request, unless such information may not be publicly released under the terms of subsection (b) of this section. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, nothing contained in this section shall be construed to require the release of any information of the kind described in subsection (b) of section 552 of title 5 or which is otherwise protected by law from disclosure to the public.

(b)Information disclosure prohibition; confidentiality of certain disclosures

The Secretary shall not disclose information obtained by him under this chapter that concerns or relates to a trade secret, referred to in section 1905 of title 18, or to a contract referred to in section 1504(c)(2)(B) of this title, except that such information may be disclosed, in a manner which is designed to maintain confidentiality—

(1)to other Federal and adjacent coastal State government departments and agencies for official use, upon request;

(2)to any committee of Congress having jurisdiction over the subject matter to which the information relates, upon request;

(3)to any person in any judicial proceeding, under a court order formulated to preserve such confidentiality without impairing the proceedings; and

(4)to the public in order to protect health and safety, after notice and opportunity for comment in writing or for discussion in closed session within fifteen days by the party to which the information pertains (if the delay resulting from such notice and opportunity for comment would not be detrimental to the public health and safety).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 1513

Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110