Us Code § 2102 - Definitions
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 2102 — Definitions, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 2102. Definitions
For purposes of this chapter—
(a) the term "embedded" means firmly affixed in the submerged lands or in coralline formations such that the use of tools of excavation is required in order to move the bottom sediments to gain access to the shipwreck, its cargo, and any part thereof;
(b) the term "National Register" means the National Register of Historic Places maintained by the Secretary of the Interior under section 101 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a); 1
(c) the terms "public lands", "Indian lands", and "Indian tribe" have the same meaning given the terms in the Archaeological Resource 2 Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470aa–470ll);
(d) the term "shipwreck" means a vessel or wreck, its cargo, and other contents;
(e) the term "State" means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands; and
(f) the term "submerged lands" means the lands—
(1) that are "lands beneath navigable waters," as defined in section 1301 of this title;
(2) of Puerto Rico, as described in section 749 of title 48;
(3) of Guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa, as described in section 1705 of title 48; and
(4) of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as described in section 801 of Public Law 94–241.1
(Pub. L. 100–298, §3, Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 432.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Section 101 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470a), referred to in subsec. (b), is section 101 of Pub. L. 89–665, which was repealed and restated as chapters 3021 to 3027 and sections 302902(a), 302903(a), 302904 to 302909, 303902, 303903, and 306101(b) and (c) of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs, by Pub. L. 113–287, §§3, 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094, 3272.
The Archaeological Resource Protection Act of 1979, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 96–95, Oct. 31, 1979, 93 Stat. 721, which is classified generally to chapter 1B (§470aa et seq.) of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 470aa of Title 16 and Tables.
Section 801 of Public Law 94–241, referred to in subsec. (f)(4), probably means section 801 of the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, as contained in section 1 of Pub. L. 94–241, Mar. 24, 1976, 90 Stat. 263, which is set out as a note under section 1801 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.
About This Section
43 U.S.C. § 2102 is part of Title 43 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 43 U.S.C. § 2102. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.