United States Code
USC most recently checked for updates: Jun 09, 2025
§ 1503.
License for ownership, construction, and operation of deepwater port
(a)
Requirement
No person may engage in the ownership, construction, or operation of a deepwater port except in accordance with a license issued pursuant to this chapter. No person may transport or otherwise transfer any oil or natural gas between a deepwater port and the United States unless such port has been so licensed and the license is in force.
(b)
Issuance, transfer, amendment, or reinstatement
The Secretary may—
(1)
on application, issue a license for the ownership, construction, and operation of a deepwater port; and
(2)
on petition of the licensee, amend, transfer, or reinstate a license issued under this chapter.
(c)
Conditions for issuance
The Secretary may issue a license in accordance with the provisions of this chapter if—
(1)
the Secretary determines that the applicant is financially responsible and will meet the requirements of section 2716 of this title;
(2)
the Secretary determines that the applicant can and will comply with applicable laws, regulations, and license conditions;
(3)
the Secretary determines that the construction and operation of the deepwater port will be in the national interest and consistent with national security and other national policy goals and objectives, including energy sufficiency and environmental quality;
(4)
the Secretary determines that the deepwater port will not unreasonably interfere with international navigation or other reasonable uses of the high seas, as defined by treaty, convention, or customary international law;
(5)
the Secretary determines, in accordance with the environmental review criteria established pursuant to section 1505 of this title, that the applicant has demonstrated that the deepwater port will be constructed and operated using best available technology, so as to prevent or minimize adverse impact on the marine environment;
(6)
the Secretary has not been informed, within 45 days of the last public hearing on a proposed license for a designated application area, by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency that the deepwater port will not conform with all applicable provisions of the Clean Air Act, as amended [42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.], the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended [33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.], or the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, as amended [16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq., 1447 et seq.; 33 U.S.C. 1401 et seq., 2801 et seq.];
(7)
the Secretary has consulted with the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense, to determine their views on the adequacy of the application, and its effect on programs within their respective jurisdictions;
(8)
the Governor of each adjacent coastal State approves, or is presumed to approve, the issuance of the license pursuant to section 1508(b)(1) of this title, if applicable; and
(9)
the adjacent coastal State to which the deepwater port is to be directly connected by pipeline has developed, or is making, at the time the application is submitted, reasonable progress, as determined in accordance with section 1508(c) of this title, toward developing, an approved coastal zone management program pursuant to the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 [16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.].
(d)
Application for license subject to examination and comparison of economic, social, and environmental effects of deepwater port facility and deep draft channel and harbor; finality of determination
If an application is made under this chapter for a license to construct a deepwater port facility off the coast of a State, and a port of the State which will be directly connected by pipeline with such deepwater port, on the date of such application—
(1)
has existing plans for construction of a deep draft channel and harbor; and
(2)
has either (A) an active study by the Secretary of the Army relating to the construction of a deep draft channel and harbor, or (B) a pending application for a permit under section 403 of this title for such construction; and
(3)
applies to the Secretary for a determination under this section within 30 days of the date of the license application;
the Secretary shall not issue a license under this chapter until he has examined and compared the economic, social, and environmental effects of the construction and operation of the deepwater port with the economic, social and environmental effects of the construction, expansion, deepening, and operation of such State port, and has determined which project best serves the national interest or that both developments are warranted. The Secretary’s determination shall be discretionary and nonreviewable.
(e)
(1)
In issuing a license for the ownership, construction, and operation of a deepwater port, the Secretary shall prescribe those conditions which the Secretary deems necessary to carry out the provisions and requirements of this chapter 1 or which are otherwise required by any Federal department or agency pursuant to the terms of this chapter.1 To the extent practicable, conditions required to carry out the provisions and requirements of this chapter shall be addressed in license conditions rather than by regulation and, to the extent practicable, the license shall allow a deepwater port’s operating procedures to be stated in an operations manual, approved by the Coast Guard, in accordance with section 1509(a) of this title, rather than in detailed and specific license conditions or regulations, except that basic standards and conditions shall be addressed in regulations. On petition of a licensee, the Secretary shall review any condition of a license issued under this chapter to determine if that condition is uniform, insofar as practicable, with the conditions of other licenses issued under this chapter, reasonable, and necessary to meet the objectives of this chapter. The Secretary shall amend or rescind any condition that is no longer necessary or otherwise required by any Federal department or agency under this chapter.
1
See References in Text note below.(2)
No license shall be issued, transferred, or renewed under this chapter unless the licensee or transferee first agrees in writing that (A) there will be no substantial change from the plans, operational systems, and methods, procedures, and safeguards set forth in his license, as approved, without prior approval in writing from the Secretary; and (B) the licensee or transferee will comply with any condition the Secretary may prescribe in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(3)
The Secretary shall establish such bonding requirements or other assurances as the Secretary determines to be necessary to ensure that, upon the revocation or termination of a license, the licensee will remove all components of the deepwater port. In the case of components lying in the subsoil below the seabed, the Secretary is authorized to waive the removal requirements if the Secretary finds that such removal is not otherwise necessary and that the remaining components do not constitute any threat to navigation or to the environment. At the request of the licensee, the Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, is authorized to waive the removal requirement as to any components which the Secretary determines may be utilized in connection with the transportation of oil, natural gas, or other minerals, pursuant to a lease granted under the provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), after which waiver the utilization of such components shall be governed by the terms of that Act.
(f)
Amendments, transfers, and reinstatements
The Secretary may amend, transfer, or reinstate a license issued under this chapter if the Secretary finds that the amendment, transfer, or reinstatement is consistent with the requirements of this chapter.
(g)
Eligible citizens
Any citizen of the United States who otherwise qualifies under the terms of this chapter shall be eligible to be issued a license for the ownership, construction, and operation of a deepwater port.
(h)
Term of license
A license issued under this chapter remains in effect unless suspended or revoked by the Secretary or until surrendered by the licensee.
(i)
Liquefied natural gas facilities
To promote the security of the United States, the Secretary shall give top priority to the processing of a license under this chapter for liquefied natural gas facilities that will be supplied with or that will supply liquefied natural gas by United States flag vessels.
(Pub. L. 93–627, § 4, Jan. 3, 1975 , 88 Stat. 2128; Pub. L. 98–419, § 2(b)–(e), Sept. 25, 1984 , 98 Stat. 1607; Pub. L. 101–380, title II, § 2003(a)(1), Aug. 18, 1990 , 104 Stat. 507; Pub. L. 104–324, title V, § 504, Oct. 19, 1996 , 110 Stat. 3926; Pub. L. 107–295, title I, § 106(a)(2), Nov. 25, 2002 , 116 Stat. 2086; Pub. L. 109–241, title III, § 304(b), July 11, 2006 , 120 Stat. 527; Pub. L. 113–281, title III, § 307(c), Dec. 18, 2014 , 128 Stat. 3045; Pub. L. 118–31, div. C, title XXXV, § 3514(k)(3), Dec. 22, 2023 , 137 Stat. 813.)
cite as: 33 USC 1503
