Pub. L. 92-340, tit. I, sec. 102

Sec. 102. (a) For the purpose of this Act, the term “United States” includes the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the territories and possessions of the United States, and the Trust Territory’ of the Pacific Islands. 86 Stat. 426 (b) Nothing contained in this title supplants or modifies any treaty or Federal statute or authority granted thereunder, nor does it prevent a State or political subdivision thereof from prescribing for structures only higher safety equipment requirements or safety standards than those which may be prescribed pursuant to this title. (c) In the exercise of his authority under this title, the Secretary shall consult with other Federal agencies, as appropriate, in order to give due consideration to their statutory and other responsibilities, and to assure consistency of regulations applicable to vessels, structures, and areas covered by this title. The Secretary may also consider, utilize, and incorporate regulations or similar directory materials issued by port or other State and local authorities. (d) This title shall not be applicable to the Panama Canal. The authority granted to the Secretary under section 101 of this title shall not be delegated with respect to the Saint Lawrence Seaway to any agency other than the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. Any other authority granted the Secretary under this title shall be delegated to the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation to the extent that the Secretary determines such delegation is necessary for the proper operation of the Seaway. (e) In carrying out his duties and responsibilities under this title to promote the, safe and efficient conduct of maritime commerce the Secretary shall consider fully the wide variety of interests which may be affected by the exercise of his authority hereunder. In determining the need for, and the substance of, any rule or regulation or the exercise of other authority hereunder the Secretary shall, among other things, consider— (1) the scope and degree of the hazards; (2) vessel traffic characteristics including minimum interference with the flow of commercial traffic, traffic volume, the sizes and types of vessels, the usual nature of local cargoes, and similar factors; (3) port and waterway configurations and the differences in geographic, climatic, and other conditions and circumstances 5 (4) environmental factors; (5) economic impact and effects; (6) existing vessel traffic control systems, services, mid schemes; and (7) local practices and customs, including voluntary arrangements and agreements within the maritime community.