33 U.S.C. § 401 Construction of Bridges, Causeways, Dams Or Dikes Generally; Exemptions

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 33 U.S.C. § 401

It shall not be lawful to construct or commence the construction of any bridge, causeway, dam, or dike over or in any port, roadstead, haven, harbor, canal, navigable river, or other navigable water of the United States until the consent of Congress to the building of such structures shall have been obtained and until the plans for (1) the bridge or causeway shall have been submitted to and approved by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, or (2) the dam or dike shall have been submitted to and approved by the Chief of Engineers and Secretary of the Army. However, such structures may be built under authority of the legislature of a State across rivers and other waterways the navigable portions of which lie wholly within the limits of a single State, provided the location and plans thereof are submitted to and approved by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating or by the Chief of Engineers and Secretary of the Army before construction is commenced. When plans for any bridge or other structure have been approved by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating or by the Chief of Engineers and Secretary of the Army, it shall not be lawful to deviate from such plans either before or after completion of the structure unless modification of said plans has previously been submitted to and received the approval of the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating or the Chief of Engineers and the Secretary of the Army. The approval required by this section of the location and plans or any modification of plans of any bridge or causeway does not apply to any bridge or causeway over waters that are not subject to the ebb and flow of the tide and that are not used and are not susceptible to use in their natural condition or by reasonable improvement as a means to transport interstate or foreign commerce.

Cite as 33 U.S.C. § 401

Source: Mar. 3, 1899, ch. 425, §9, 30 Stat. 1151; Pub. L. 97-322, title I, §107(b), Oct. 15, 1982, 96 Stat. 1582; Pub. L. 97-449, §2(f), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2440; Pub. L. 114-120, title III, §306(b)(1)(A), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 55.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/22/2023

EDITORIAL NOTES

CODIFICATION

Section is from act Mar. 3, 1899, popularly known as the "Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1899", and together with section 403 of this title effectively superseded act Sept. 19, 1890, ch. 907, §7, 26 Stat. 454, as amended generally by act July 13, 1892, ch. 158, §3, 27 Stat. 88, which prohibited the erection of obstructions to navigation, and prohibited the erection of bridges over navigable waters under State legislation before the approval of the plans by the Secretary of War, and prohibited the alteration of channels unless authorized by that Secretary.