ORGANIC LAWS GOVERNING U.S. COAST GUARD 27 



Demarcation of high seas lines 



33 U.S.C. 151 



The Commandant of the Coast Guard is authorized, empowered, and 

 directed from time to time to designate and define by suitable bearings 

 or ranges with lighthouses, light vessels, buoys, or coast objects, the 

 lines dividing the high seas from rivers, harbors, and inland waters. 

 (Feb. 19, 1895, c. 102, §2, 28 Stat. 672; Feb. 14, 1903, c. 552, §10, 



32 Stat. 829; Mar. 4, 1913, c. 141, § 1, 37 Stat. 736; 1946 Reorg. Plan 

 No. 3, §§ 101-104, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097.) 



Adoption of rules for navigation of harbors, rivers, and inland 

 waters 



33 U.S.C. 154 



The following regulations for preventing collisions shall be followed 

 by all vessels upon the harbors, rivers, and other inland waters of the 

 United States except the Great Lakes and their connecting and trib- 

 utary waters as far east as Montreal, and waters of the Mississippi 

 River between its source and the Huey P. Long Bridge and all of its 

 tributaries emptying thereinto and their tributaries, and that part of 

 the Atchafalaya River above its junction with the Plaquemine-Morgan 

 City alternate waterway, and the Red River of the North, and are de- 

 clared special rulers duly made by local authority. (June 7, 1897, c. 4, 

 § 1, 30 Stat. 96; May 21, 1948, c. 328, § 1, 62 Stat. 249; Aug. 8, 1953, 

 c. 386, § 1, 67 Stat. 497.) 



Note.— A separate pamphlet entitled "Rules of the Road — International — Inland," 

 CG-169, contains such laws, rules, and regulations, and therefore they have not been 

 reprinted herein. 



Special rules authorized; publication; hearings 



33 U.S.C. 157 



(a) The Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is 

 operating shall establish sucli rules to be observed, on the waters de- 

 scribed in section 154 of this title, by steam vessels in passing each other 

 and as to the lights and day signals to be carried on such waters by 

 ferryboats, by vessels and craft of all types when in tow of steam vessels 

 or operating by hand power or horsepower or drifting with the cur- 

 rent, and by any other vessels not otherwise provided for, not incon- 

 sistent with the provisions of this Act, as he from time to time may 

 deem necessary for safety, which rules are declared special rules duly 

 made by local authority. A pamphlet containing such Act and regula- 

 tions shall be furnished to all vessels and craft subject to this Act. On 

 vessels and craft over sixty-five feet in length the pamphlet shall, 

 where practic^ible, be kept on board and available for ready reference. 



(b) Except in an emergency, before any rules or any alteration, 

 amendment, or repeal thereof, are established by the Secretary under 

 the provisions of this section, the said Secretary shall publish the pro- 

 posed rules, alterations, amendments, or repeals, and public hearings 

 shall be held with respect thereto on such notice as the Secretary deems 

 reasonable under the circumstances. (As amended Aug. 14, 1958, 

 Public Law 85-656, § 1, 72 Stat. 612.) 



