To provide charts and related information for the safe navigation of marine and air commerce, and to provide basic data for engineering and scientific purposes and for other commercial and industrial needs, the Secretary of Commerce, is authorized to conduct the following activities:(1) Hydrographic and topographic surveys;
(2) Tide and current observations;
(3) Geodetic-control surveys;
(4) Field surveys for aeronautical charts;
(5) Geomagnetic, seismological, gravity, and related geophysical measurements and investigations, and observations for the determination of variation in latitude and longitude.
(Aug. 6, 1947, ch. 504, § 1, 61 Stat. 787; Pub. L. 86–409, Apr. 5, 1960, 74 Stat. 16; 1965 Reorg. Plan No. 2, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318.)
Editorial Notes
Amendments1960—Pub. L. 86–409 struck out provisions which restricted the Coast and Geodetic Survey in the conduct of its specified activities to the United States, its Territories and possessions, and which restricted hydrographic and topographic surveys to surveys of coastal water and land areas (including offlying islands, banks, shoals, and other offshore areas), and to surveys of lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and other inland waters not otherwise provided for by statute.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Continuous Plankton Recorder SurveyPub. L. 117–328, div. JJ, title III, § 301, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 6092, provided that:
“(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 29, 2022], and on an ongoing basis thereafter, the Secretary of Commerce shall conduct a Continuous Plankton Recorder survey.
“(b) Required Elements.—For the purpose of conducting the survey required under subsection (a), the Northeast Fisheries Science Center shall—“(1) to the extent possible, utilize the resources of and partner with, on a volunteer basis, research institutions, nonprofit organizations, commercial vessels, and other Federal agencies;
“(2) in as short a time as possible, ensure relevant survey samples and results are analyzed, stored, archived, and made publicly available;
“(3) prioritize the collection of plankton samples and data that inform the conservation of North Atlantic right whales; and
“(4) to the extent practicable, coordinate with the Government of Canada to develop a transboundary understanding of plankton abundance and distribution.
“(c) Authorization of Appropriations.—To carry out this section there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce $300,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2032, which shall be derived from existing funds otherwise appropriated to the Secretary.”
Great Lakes Environmental Sensitivity IndexPub. L. 116–274, Dec. 31, 2020, 134 Stat. 3356, provided that:
Great Lakes MappingPub. L. 100–220, title III, subtitle B, Dec. 29, 1987, 101 Stat. 1475, as amended by Pub. L. 100–629, § 3, Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3286, provided that:
[For transfer of all functions, personnel, assets, components, authorities, grant programs, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management relating thereto, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, see section 315(a)(1) of Title 6, Domestic Security.]
[For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see former section 313(1) and sections 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.]
Transfer of Functions
Functions of Secretary and other officers of Department of Commerce under sections 883a to 883h of this title that relate to the Office of Aeronautical Charting and Cartography to provide aeronautical charts, products, and services for safe and efficient navigation of air commerce transferred to Administrator of Federal Aviation Administration effective Oct. 1, 2000, see section 44721(c)(1) of Title 49, Transportation.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Office of Director of Coast and Geodetic Survey abolished and Coast and Geodetic Survey consolidated with Weather Bureau to form a new agency in Department of Commerce to be known as Environmental Science Services Administration, by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1965, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318, set out as a note under section 851 of this title. The Reorg. Plan also transferred to Secretary of Commerce all functions of Coast and Geodetic Survey and Director. For further details, see note set out under section 851 of this title.