33 U.S.C. § 446 — Inspectors; appointment, powers, and duties
submitted 138 years ago by ch. 496 to r/title-33-NAVIGATION-AND-NAVIGABLE-WATERS · 438 words · no verdicts yet
This law lets harbor supervisors appoint inspectors to enforce dumping rules. Inspectors can arrest violators, seize offending boats, and hold witnesses. They can also enter factories to check for illegal waste discharge.
Each supervisor of a harbor is required to appoint inspectors and deputy inspectors. Their job is to enforce this subchapter and the Act of August 18, 1894 (28 Stat. 338), and to detect and help punish people who break these rules.
The supervisor, and the inspectors and deputy inspectors, have these powers:
First. They can arrest and take into custody, with or without a warrant, anyone who commits an offense under this subchapter. But no one can be arrested without a warrant for an offense that didn't happen in front of the supervisor or an inspector or deputy inspector. Anyone arrested must be brought right away before a federal magistrate judge, judge, or court, which then handles the case the way the law authorizes for crimes against the United States.
Second. They can board any scow or towboat that's illegally dumping prohibited material, or moving it without a permit as sections 443 to 448 of this title require, or otherwise violating sections 443 to 448. They can seize and hold the boat until a federal magistrate judge, judge, or court discharges it.
Third. They can arrest and hold any witness to illegal dumping of prohibited material, though such witnesses must be released under proper bonds.
Fourth. They can board any towboat towing scows or boats loaded with prohibited material, and travel with it to the dumping site, whenever that appears necessary to secure compliance with this subchapter and the 1894 Act.
Fifth. They can enter gas and oil works and all other manufacturing works to discover what's being done with sludge, acid, or other harmful material, whenever there's good reason to believe that such material is being let into the harbor's tidal waters in violation of section 441 of this title.
Each supervisor of a harbor is authorized and directed to appoint inspectors and deputy inspectors, and for the purposes of enforcing this subchapter and the Act of August 18, 1894, entitled “An Act making appropriations for the construction, repair, and preservation of certain public works on rivers and harbors, and for other purposes” (28 Stat. 338), and of detecting and bringing to punishment offenders against the same, the said supervisor of the harbor, and the inspectors and deputy inspectors so appointed by him, shall have power and authority.
First. To arrest and take into custody, with or without process, any person or persons who may commit any of the acts or offenses prohibited by this subchapter, or who may violate any of the provisions of the same: Provided, That no person shall be arrested without process for any offense not committed in the presence of the supervisor or his inspectors or deputy inspectors, or either of them: And provided further, That whenever any such arrest is made the person or persons so arrested shall be brought forthwith before a magistrate judge, judge, or court of the United States for examination of the offenses alleged against him; and such magistrate judge, judge, or court shall proceed in respect thereto as authorized by law in case of crimes against the United States.
Second. To go on board of any scow or towboat engaged in unlawful dumping of prohibited material, or in moving the same without a permit, as required in sections 443 to 448 of this title, or otherwise violating sections 443 to 448 of this title, and to seize and hold said boats until they are discharged by action of the magistrate judge, judge, or court of the United States before whom the offending persons are brought.
Third. To arrest and take into custody any witness or witnesses to such unlawful dumping of prohibited material, the said witnesses to be released under proper bonds.
Fourth. To go on board of any towboat having in tow scows or boats loaded with such prohibited material, and accompany the same to the place of dumping, whenever such action appears to be necessary to secure compliance with the requirements of this subchapter and of the Act aforesaid.
Fifth. To enter gas and oil works and all other manufacturing works for the purpose of discovering the disposition made of sludge, acid, or other injurious material, whenever there is good reason to believe that such sludge, acid, or other injurious material is allowed to run into tidal waters of the harbor in violation of section 441 of this title.
Source credit: (June 29, 1888, ch. 496, § 3, 25 Stat. 209; Aug. 18, 1894, ch. 299, § 3, 28 Stat. 360; May 28, 1908, ch. 212, § 8, 35 Stat. 427; Pub. L. 85–802, § 1(3), Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 970; Pub. L. 90–578, title IV, § 402(b)(2), Oct. 17, 1968, 82 Stat. 1118; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117.)
- 1888Enacted · Act of June 29, 1888, ch. 496 · 25 Stat. 209
- 1894Amended · Act of Aug. 18, 1894, ch. 299 · 28 Stat. 360
- 1908Amended · Act of May 28, 1908, ch. 212 · 35 Stat. 427
- 1958Amended · Pub. L. 85-802 · 72 Stat. 970
- 1968Amended · Pub. L. 90-578 · 82 Stat. 1118
- 1990Amended · Pub. L. 101-650 · 104 Stat. 5117
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by ch. 496 on 1888-06-29.
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