Appendix 8 



Public Law 212 



AN ACT To provide for the jurisdiction of the United States over the 

 submerged lands of the outer Continental Shelf, and to authorize the 

 Secretary of the Interior to lease such lands for certain purposes 



Be it enacted liy the Senate and House of Representatives of the 

 United States of America in in Congress assembled, That this Act 

 may be cited as the "Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act". 



Sec. 2. Definitions. — When used in this Act — 



(a) The term "outer Continental Shelf" means all submerged 

 lands lying seaward and outside of the area of lands beneath navi- 

 gable waters as defineid in section 2 of the Submerged Lands Act 

 (Public Law, 31, Eighty- third Congress, first session), and of 

 which the subsoil and seabed appertain to the United States and 

 are subject to its jurisdiction and control ; 



(b) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior ; 



(c) The term "mineral lease" means any form of authorization 

 for the exploration for, or development or removal of deposits of, 

 oil, gas, or other minerals ; and 



(d) The term "person" includes, in addition to a natural person, 

 an association, a State, a political subdivision of a State, or a pri- 

 vate, public, or jQunicipal corporation. 



Sec. 3. Jurisdiction Over Outer Continental Shelf. — (a) It 

 is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that the 

 subsoil and seabed of the outer Continental Shelf appertain to the 

 United States and are subject to its jurisdiction, control, and 

 power of disposition as provided in this Act. 



(b) This Act shall be construed in such manner that the char- 

 acter as high seas of the waters above the outer Continental Shelf 

 and the right to navigation and fishing therein shall not be 

 affected. 



Sec. 4. Laws Applicable to Outer Continentai. Shelf. — (a) 

 (1) The Constitution and laws and civil and political jurisdiction 

 of the United States are hereby extended to the subsoil and seabed 

 of the outer Continental Shelf and to all artificial islands and fixed 

 structures which may be erected thereon for the purpose of explor- 

 ing for, developing, removing, and transporting resources there- 

 from, to the same extent as if the outer Continental Shelf were an 

 area of exclusive Federal jurisdiction located within a State : 

 Provided, however, That mineral leases on the outer Continental 

 Shelf shall be maintained or issued only under the provisions of 

 this Act. 



(2) To the extent that they are applicable and not inconsistent 

 with this Act or with other Federal laws aind regulations of the 

 Secretary now in effect or hereafter adopted, the civil and criminal 

 laws of each adjacent State as of the effective date of this Act are 

 hereby declared to be the law of the United States for that portion 

 of the subsoil and seabed of the outer Continental Shelf, and arti- 

 ficial islands and fixed structures erected thereon, which would be 

 within the area of the State if its boundaries were extended sea- 

 ward to the outer margin of the outer Continental Shelf, and the 

 President shall determine and publish in the Federal Register such 

 projected lines extending seaward and defining each such area. 

 All of such applicable laws shall be administered and enforced by 



(101) 



August 7, 195'3 

 [H. R. 5134] 



Outer Conti- 

 nental Shelf 

 Lands Act. 



Ante, p. 29. 



State laws. 



Publication 

 of projected 

 State lines. 



