870 



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; 



(c) The term "coast line" means the line of or- 

 dinary 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; 



(d) The terms "grantees" and "lessees'.' include 

 (without limiting the generality thereof) all politi- 

 cal subdivisions, municipalities, public and private 

 corporations, and other persons holding grants or 

 leases from a State, or from its predecessor sovereign 

 if legally validated, to lands beneath navigable 

 waters if such grants or leases were issued in ac- 

 cordance with the constitution, statutes, and deci- 

 sions of the courts of the State in which such lands 

 are situated, or of its predecessor sovereign: Pro- 

 vided, however. That nothing herein shall be con- 

 strued as conferring upon said grantees or lessees 

 any greater rights or interests other than are de- 

 scribed herein and in their respective grants from 

 the State, or its predecessor sovereign; 



(e) The term "natural resources" includes, with- 

 out limiting the generality thereof, oil, gas. and all 

 other minerals, and fish, shrimp, oysters, clams, 

 crabs, lobsters, sponges, kelp, and other marine 

 animal and plant life but does not Include water 

 power, or the use of water for the production of 

 power; 



(f) The term "lands beneath navigable waters" 

 does not include the beds of streams in lands now 

 or heretofore constituting a part of the public lands 

 of the United States if such streams were not 

 meandered in connection with the public survey 

 of such lands under the laws of the United States 

 and if the title to the beds of such streams was law- 

 fully patented or conveyed by the United States or 

 any State to any person; 



(g) The term "State" means any State of the 

 Union; 



(h) The term "person" includes, in addition to 

 a natural person, an association, a State, a political 

 subdivision of a State, or a private, public, or munic- 

 ipal corporation. (May 22, 1953. oh. 65, title I, § 2, 

 67 Stat. 29.) 

 §1302. Resources seaward of the Continental Shelf. 



Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to affect 

 in any wise the rights of the United States to the 

 natural resources of that portion of the subsoil and 

 seabed of the Continental Shelf lying seaward and 

 outside of the area of lands beneath navigaole 

 waters, as defined in section 1301 of this title, all of 

 which natural resources appertain to the United 

 States, and the jurisdiction and control of which 

 by the United States is confirmed. (May 22. 1953. 

 ch. 65, title II. § 9. 67 Stat. 32.) 



§1303. Sections not affected. 



Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to amend, 



modify, or repeal the Acts of July 26, 1866 (14 Stat. 

 251), July 9, 1870 (16 Stat. 217), March 3. 1877 (19 

 Stat. 377), June 17. 1902 (32 Stat. 388 1, and Decem- 

 ber 22. 1944 (58 Stat. 887), and Acts amendatoi-y 

 thereof or supplementary thereto. (May 22. 1953. 

 ch. 65, title 11, § 7, 67 Stat. 32.) 



SUBCHAPTER II —LANDS BENEATH NAVIGA- 

 BLE WATERS 'WITHIN STATE BOUNDARIES 



§1311. Rights of the States. 



(a) Confirmation and establishment of title and own- 

 ership of lands and resources; management, ad- 

 ministration, leasing, development, and use. 



It is determined and declared to be in the public 

 interest that il> title to and ownership of the lands 

 beneath navigable waters within the boundaries of 

 the respective States, and the natural resources 

 within such lands and waters, and i2) the right 

 and power to manage, administer, lease, develop, 

 and use the said lands and natural resources all in 

 accordance with applicable State law be, and they 

 are, subject to the provisions hereof, recognized, 

 confirmed, established, and vested in and assigned 

 to the respective States or the persons who were 

 on June 5, 1950. entitled thereto under the law of 

 the respective States in which the land is located, 

 and the respective grantees, lessees, or successors 

 in interest thereof : 



(b) Release and relinquishment of title and claims of 

 United States; payment to States of moneys paid 

 under leases. 



(1) The United States releases and relinquishes 

 unto said States and persons aforesaid, except as 

 otherwise reserved herein, all right, title, and inter- 

 est of the United States, if any it has, in and to all 

 said lands, improvements, and natural resources; 

 (2) the United States releases and relinquishes all 

 claims of the United States, if any it has, for money 

 or damages arising out of any operations of said 

 States or persons pursuant to State authority upon 

 or within said lands and navigable waters; and (3) 

 the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of the 

 Navy or the Treasurer of the United States shall 

 pay to the respective States or their grantees issuing 

 leases covering such lands or natural resources all 

 moneys paid thereunder to the Secretary of the 

 Interior or to the Secretiary of the Navy or to the 

 Treasurer of the United States and subject to the 

 control of any of them or to the control of the 

 United States on May 22, 1953, except that portion 

 of such moneys which (1) is required to be returned 

 to a lessee; or (2) is deductible as provided by stipu- 

 lation or agreement between the United States and 

 any of said States; 



(c) Leases in effect on June 5, 1950. 



The rights, powers, and titles hereby recognized, 

 confirmed, established, and vested in and assigned 

 to the respective States and their grantees are sub- 

 ject to each lease executed by a State, or its grantee, 

 which was in force and effect on June 5, 1950, in 

 accordance with its terms and provisions and the 

 laws of the State issuing, or whose grantee issued, 

 such lease, and such rights, powers, and titles are 

 further subject to the rights herein now granted 

 to any person holding any such lease to continue 

 to maintain the lease, and to conduct operations 



