Us Code § 2105 - Rights of ownership
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 2105 — Rights of ownership, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 2105. Rights of ownership
(a) United States title
The United States asserts title to any abandoned shipwreck that is—
(1) embedded in submerged lands of a State;
(2) embedded in coralline formations protected by a State on submerged lands of a State; or
(3) on submerged lands of a State and is included in or determined eligible for inclusion in the National Register.
(b) Notice of shipwreck location; eligibility determination for inclusion in National Register of Historic Places
The public shall be given adequate notice of the location of any shipwreck to which title is asserted under this section. The Secretary of the Interior, after consultation with the appropriate State Historic Preservation Officer, shall make a written determination that an abandoned shipwreck meets the criteria for eligibility for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places under clause (a)(3).
(c) Transfer of title to States
The title of the United States to any abandoned shipwreck asserted under subsection (a) of this section is transferred to the State in or on whose submerged lands the shipwreck is located.
(d) Exception
Any abandoned shipwreck in or on the public lands of the United States is the property of the United States Government. Any abandoned shipwreck in or on any Indian lands is the property of the Indian tribe owning such lands.
(e) Reservation of rights
This section does not affect any right reserved by the United States or by any State (including any right reserved with respect to Indian lands) under—
(1) section 1311, 1313, or 1314 of this title; or
(2) section 414 or 415 of title 33.
(Pub. L. 100–298, §6, Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 433.)
About This Section
43 U.S.C. § 2105 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. § 2105. 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.
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