Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73not60

§1515 Citizen Civil Action

Title 33 › Chapter 29— DEEPWATER PORTS › § 1515

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Allows any person to file a federal lawsuit to get a court order stopping or fixing violations of this law or of a license under this law. A person can sue any alleged violator, including the United States or other government agencies as allowed by the Eleventh Amendment. A person can also sue the Secretary of Commerce if the Secretary failed to do a non‑discretionary duty; suits against the Secretary must be filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia or in the district court of the appropriate adjacent coastal State. You must wait 60 days after giving written notice to the Secretary and the alleged violator before suing most defendants, and you must give the Secretary 60 days’ notice before suing for the Secretary’s failure to act. If the Secretary or the Attorney General has already started and is diligently pursuing a case, you may not bring the same suit but you may join that case. The Secretary or the Attorney General may join any citizen suit if they are not already parties. Courts may award litigation costs, including reasonable lawyer and expert fees, when appropriate. Nothing here takes away other legal rights people may have to seek enforcement or relief.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §1515

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, any person may commence a civil action for equitable relief on his own behalf, whenever such action constitutes a case or controversy—

(1)against any person (including (A) the United States, and (B) any other governmental instrumentality or agency to the extent permitted by the eleventh amendment to the Constitution) who is alleged to be in violation of any provision of this chapter or any condition of a license issued pursuant to this chapter; or

(2)against the Secretary where there is alleged a failure of the Secretary to perform any act or duty under this chapter which is not discretionary with the Secretary. Any action brought against the Secretary under this paragraph shall be brought in the district court for the District of Columbia or the district of the appropriate adjacent coastal State.

(b)No civil action may be commenced—

(1)under subsection (a)(1) of this section—

(A)prior to 60 days after the plaintiff has given notice of the violation (i) to the Secretary and (ii) to any alleged violator; or

(B)if the Secretary or the Attorney General has commenced and is diligently prosecuting a civil or criminal action with respect to such matters in a court of the United States, but in any such action any person may intervene as a matter of right; or

(2)under subsection (a)(2) of this section prior to 60 days after the plaintiff has given notice of such action to the Secretary.

(c)In any action under this section, the Secretary or the Attorney General, if not a party, may intervene as a matter of right.

(d)The Court, in issuing any final order in any action brought pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, may award costs of litigation (including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees) to any party whenever the court determines that such an award is appropriate.

(e)Nothing in this section shall restrict any right which any person (or class of persons) may have under any statute or common law to seek enforcement or to seek any other relief.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 1515

Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60