PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Lists and explains the main words used in this chapter. "Circular economy" means what section 4201 of this title defines. "Coastal shoreline community" means a city or county next to the open ocean, major estuaries, or the Great Lakes. "EPA Administrator" and "Nonprofit organization," "Post consumer materials management," and "Under Secretary" mean what section 4201 of this title says. "Indian Tribe" and "Tribal organization" have the meaning in section 5304 of title 25. "Interagency Committee" is the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee from section 1954 of this title. "Marine debris" means long‑lasting solid material made or processed and thrown away or left in the ocean or the Great Lakes. "MARPOL," "Annex V," and "Convention" have the meanings in section 1901(a) of this title. "Non‑Federal funds" covers money from States, Indian Tribes, U.S. territories, local governments or Tribal organizations, foreign governments, businesses, nonprofits, or private individuals. "Program" is the Marine Debris Program established under section 1952 of this title. "Severe marine debris event" means unusually large amounts of marine debris caused by a natural disaster like a tsunami, flood, landslide, hurricane, or other source. "State" includes U.S. states affected in their seaward or Great Lakes waters, Indian Tribes, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and any other U.S. territory, possession, or freely associated sovereign affected in its seaward waters. "Tribal Government" is the recognized governing body of any listed Indian or Alaska Native group named in the most recent list published under section 5131 of title 25 as of December 26, 2025.

Title 33, §1981

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this chapter:

(1)Circular economy

The term “circular economy” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

(2)Coastal shoreline community

The term “coastal shoreline community” means a city or county directly adjacent to the open ocean, major estuaries, or the Great Lakes.

(3)EPA Administrator (4) Indian Tribe

The term “EPA Administrator” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

(5)Interagency Committee

The term “Interagency Committee” means the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee established under section 1954 of this title.

(6)Marine debris

The term “marine debris” means any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.

(7)MARPOL; Annex V; Convention

The terms “MARPOL”, “Annex V”, and “Convention” have the meaning given those terms under section 1901(a) of this title.

(8)Non-Federal funds

The term “non-Federal funds” means funds provided by—

(A)a State;

(B)an Indian Tribe;

(C)a territory of the United States;

(D)one or more units of local governments or Tribal organizations;

(E)a foreign government;

(F)a private for-profit entity;

(G)a nonprofit organization; or

(H)a private individual.

(9)Nonprofit organization

The term “nonprofit organization” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

(10)Post consumer materials management

The term “post-consumer materials management” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

(11)Program

The term “Program” means the Marine Debris Program established under section 1952 of this title.

(12)Severe marine debris event

The term “severe marine debris event” means atypically large amounts of marine debris caused by a natural disaster, including a tsunami, flood, landslide, or hurricane, or other source.

(13)State

The term “State” means—

(A)any State of the United States that is impacted by marine debris within its seaward or Great Lakes boundaries;

(B)Indian Tribe;

(C)the District of Columbia;

(D)American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; and

(E)any other territory or possession of the United States, or separate sovereign in free association with the United States, that is impacted by marine debris within its seaward boundaries.

(14)Tribal Government

The term “Tribal Government” means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, component band, or component reservation, individually identified (including parenthetically) in the list published most recently as of December 26, 2025, pursuant to section 5131 of title 25.

(15)Tribal organization

The term “Tribal organization” has the meaning given the term in section 5304 of title 25.

(16)Under Secretary

The term “Under Secretary” has the meaning given such term in section 4201 of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1952 of this title, referred to in par. (11), was in the original “section 3”, and was translated as reading “section 101” of Pub. L. 109–449 to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the renumbering of section 3 as 101 by Pub. L. 119–65, § 2(a)(2). Codification Section was formerly classified to section 1956 of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 119–65.

Amendments

2025—Par. (1). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(1), (3), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which defined “Administrator” as the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Pars. (2) to (7). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(2), (3), added pars. (2) to (4) and redesignated former pars. (2) to (4) as (5) to (7), respectively. Former pars. (5) to (7) redesignated (11) to (13), respectively. Par. (8). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(b)(1), transferred par. (7) of section 4201 of this title to par. (8) of this section. Par. (8)(D). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(c), struck out “(as defined in section 5304 of title 25)” after “Tribal organizations”. Pars. (9), (10). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(4), added pars. (9) and (10). Pars. (11) to (13). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(2), redesignated pars. (5) to (7) as (11) to (13), respectively. Par. (13)(B) to (E). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(6), added subpar. (B) and redesignated former subpars. (B) to (D) as (C) to (E), respectively. Pars. (14) to (16). Pub. L. 119–65, § 5(a)(5), added pars. (14) to (16). 2012—Par. (2). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(1), substituted “section 1954 of this title” for “section 1914 of this title”. Par. (3). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(2), added par. (3) and struck out former par. (3). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The term ‘United States exclusive economic zone’ means the zone established by Presidential Proclamation Numbered 5030, dated

March 10, 1983, including the ocean waters of the areas referred to as ‘eastern special areas’ in article 3(1) of the Agreement between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Maritime Boundary, signed

June 1, 1990.” Par. (5). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(3)–(5), redesignated par. (7) as (5), struck out “Prevention and Removal” before “Program”, and struck out former par. (5). Prior to amendment, text of par. (5) read as follows: “The term ‘navigable waters’ means waters of the United States, including the territorial sea.” Par. (6). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(6), added par. (6) and struck out former par. (6). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The term ‘territorial sea’ means the waters of the United States referred to in Presidential Proclamation No. 5928, dated

December 27, 1988.” Pars. (7), (8). Pub. L. 112–213, § 608(7), redesignated par. (8) as (7). Former par. (7) redesignated (5).

§1981 Definitions