Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73not60

§1513 Public Access to Information

Title 33 › Chapter 29— DEEPWATER PORTS › § 1513

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Communications, reports, and other papers sent between a federal official and anyone about a deepwater port must be open for the public to read and copy at a reasonable cost if someone asks and identifies what they want, unless the material cannot be released under the rules below or is protected by another law. The Secretary must keep trade secrets (see 18 U.S.C. 1905) and certain contract information (see section 1504(c)(2)(B)) confidential, but may share them in ways that protect secrecy: with other federal or nearby coastal state agencies on request; with congressional committees that oversee the matter on request; in court when a judge orders confidentiality; or with the public to protect health and safety after giving the affected party notice and a chance to comment within 15 days (unless delay would harm health or safety).

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §1513

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)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)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

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60