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43 USC Sec. 1301 01/26/98

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TITLE 43 - PUBLIC LANDS

CHAPTER 29 - SUBMERGED LANDS

SUBCHAPTER I - GENERAL PROVISIONS

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Sec. 1301. Definitions

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When used in this subchapter and subchapter II of this chapter -

(a) The term ''lands beneath navigable waters'' means -

(1) all lands within the boundaries of each of the respective

States which are covered by nontidal waters that were navigable

under the laws of the United States at the time such State became

a member of the Union, or acquired sovereignty over such lands

and waters thereafter, up to the ordinary high water mark as

heretofore or hereafter modified by accretion, erosion, and

reliction;

(2) all lands permanently or periodically covered by tidal

waters up to but not above the line of mean high tide and seaward

to a line three geographical miles distant from the coast line of

each such State and to the boundary line of each such State where

in any case such boundary as it existed at the time such State

became a member of the Union, or as heretofore approved by

Congress, extends seaward (or into the Gulf of Mexico) beyond

three geographical miles, and

(3) all filled in, made, or reclaimed lands which formerly were

lands beneath navigable waters, as hereinabove defined;

(b) The term ''boundaries'' includes the seaward boundaries of a

State or its boundaries in the Gulf of Mexico or any of the Great

Lakes as they existed at the time such State became a member of the

Union, or as heretofore approved by the Congress, or as extended or

confirmed pursuant to section 1312 of this title but in no event

shall the term ''boundaries'' or the term ''lands beneath navigable

waters'' be interpreted as extending from the coast line more than

three geographical miles into the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific

Ocean, or more than three marine leagues into the Gulf of Mexico,

except that any boundary between a State and the United States

under this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter which has

been or is hereafter fixed by coordinates under a final decree of

the United States Supreme Court shall remain immobilized at the

coordinates provided under such decree and shall not be ambulatory;

(c) The term ''coast line'' means the line of ordinary low water

along that portion of the coast which is in direct contact with the

open sea and the line marking the seaward limit of inland waters;

. . .