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Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73not60

§566 Improvement by or Under Authority of State of New Jersey

Title 33 › Chapter 12— RIVER AND HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS GENERALLY › Subchapter I— GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 566

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

New Jersey may improve its seacoast and nearby waters between 38°56′ and 40°20′ north latitude. The State, or people or groups the State names, can dredge or build piers, jetties, breakwaters, or other harbor and river works to help the coast and commerce, as the United States government does. Plans for the work must be put on file with the Chief of Engineers of the Army Department for thirty days. He can reject the plans if they would hurt navigation or conflict with federal work. No tolls on commerce may be charged. Federal control and laws over navigable waters remain in effect. Congress may change or repeal this rule.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §566

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Authority is given to the State of New Jersey, or, through it, to any commission, individual, corporation, or municipality, singly or collectively, designated by the legislature of said State, or by a commission appointed or authorized by said legislature, to improve the channels on the New Jersey seacoast, or any portion of said coast, or the waters adjacent thereto, lying between thirty-eight degrees fifty-six minutes and forty degrees twenty minutes north latitude, by dredging, or by the construction of piers, jetties, or breakwaters, or other river and harbor work of any description or nature adapted to attain the ends now pursued by the United States Government for the advantage of said coast or the relief of commerce: Provided, That such operations shall not encroach upon those portions of said coast, or the channels adjacent thereto, for which the United States Government may undertake similar work according to its own plans: And provided, That the plans for said work shall be placed on file with the Chief of Engineers of the Department of the Army for thirty days, during which time he is authorized to disapprove said plans and forbid such work if, in his judgment, the improvements when completed will interfere with navigation or with any works of the United States Government commenced or proposed to be made: Provided further, That no tolls or other charges upon commerce shall be imposed by those making such improvements: And provided further, That this section shall not be construed as affecting in any way the jurisdiction and control of the Federal Government over any waters that may be improved in pursuance of the provisions thereof, nor as exempting such waters from the operation of the laws heretofore or hereafter enacted by Congress for the preservation and protection of navigable waters. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this section is expressly reserved.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by section 205(a) of act
July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 501. section 205(a) of act
July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces” which in sections 3010 to 3013 continued Department of the Army under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 566

Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60