Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-102

§9124 Civil Actions

Title 42 › CHAPTER 99 — OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION › SUBCHAPTER I — REGULATION OF OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION FACILITIES AND PLANTSHIPS › § 9124

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §9124

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

(a)Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, any person having a valid legal interest which is or may be adversely affected may commence a civil action for equitable relief on his own behalf in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia whenever such action constitutes a case or controversy—
(1)against any person who is alleged to be in violation of any provision of this chapter or any regulation or condition of a license issued pursuant to this chapter; or
(2)against the Administrator where there is alleged a failure of the Administrator to perform any act or duty under this chapter which is not discretionary.
(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 to the Administrator and to any alleged violator; or
(B)if the Administrator 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 Administrator.
(c)In any action under this section, the Administrator 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.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), 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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 9124

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102