42 U.S.C. § 9113: Protection of submarine…

Summary

Willfully or intentionally breaking or trying to break a submarine electric transmission cable or its equipment that is built or run under a federal license is a crime. A person convicted can get up to 2 years in jail, a fine up to $5,000, or both. If someone breaks or damages such a cable through culpable negligence, it is also a crime punishable by up to 3 months in jail, a fine up to $500, or both. If a person, after taking all necessary precautions, damages a cable to save a life, limb, or a vessel, these criminal rules do not apply. Criminal penalties do not stop someone from suing for damages. If a vessel has to sacrifice an anchor, fishing net, or other gear to avoid damaging a cable, the license holder must pay the vessel owner for those items if the owner had taken reasonable precautions. Any license holder who causes a break or injury to any submarine cable or pipeline must pay for the repairs.

Title 42, §9113

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Prohibited acts; misdemeanor; penalty and fine

Any person who shall willfully and wrongfully break or injure, or attempt to break or injure, or who shall in any manner procure, counsel, aid, abet, or be accessory to such breaking or injury, or attempt to break or injure, any submarine electric transmission cable or equipment being constructed or operated under a license issued pursuant to this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction thereof, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, or to a fine not exceeding $5,000, or to both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

(b)Culpable negligence; misdemeanor; penalty and fine

Any person who by culpable negligence shall break or injure any submarine electric transmission cable or equipment being constructed or operated under a license issued pursuant to this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction thereof, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or to a fine not exceeding $500, or to both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

(c)Exceptions

The provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not apply to any person who, after having taken all necessary precautions to avoid such breaking or injury, breaks or injures any submarine electric transmission cable or equipment in an effort to save the life or limb of himself or of any other person, or to save his own or any other vessel.

(d)Suits for damages

The penalties provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this section for the breaking or injury of any submarine electric transmission cable or equipment shall not be a bar to a suit for damages on account of such breaking or injury.

(e)Indemnity

Whenever any vessel sacrifices any anchor, fishing net, or other fishing gear to avoid injuring any submarine electric transmission cable or equipment being constructed or operated under a license issued pursuant to this chapter, the licensee shall indemnify the owner of such vessel for the items sacrificed: Provided, That the owner of the vessel had taken all reasonable precautionary measures beforehand.

(f)Repair costs

Any licensee who causes any break in or injury to any submarine cable or pipeline of any type shall bear the cost of the repairs.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a), (b), and (e), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 96–320, Aug. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 974, known as the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 9101 of this title and Tables.

§9113 Protection of Submarine Electric Transmission Cables and Equipment