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Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-102

§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 Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

New Jersey, or people or groups it names, may improve channels along its seacoast between 38°56′ and 40°20′ north latitude by dredging or by building piers, jetties, breakwaters, or other harbor works to help the coast and aid commerce. They must file their plans with the Army’s Chief of Engineers and leave them on file for 30 days so the Chief can stop any work that would harm navigation or conflict with U.S. projects. They may not charge tolls on commerce. Federal control and laws over those waters still apply, and Congress can 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

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102