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33 USC § 1371 - Authority under other laws and regulations

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t33/s1371"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "33 USC § 1371 - Authority under other laws and regulations"
title_number: 33
title_name: "NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS"
section_number: "1371"
section_name: "Authority under other laws and regulations"
chapter_number: 26
chapter_name: "WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL"
subchapter_number: "V"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title V, § 511, as added Pub. L. 92–500, § 2, Oct. 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 893; amended Pub. L. 93–243, § 3, Jan. 2, 1974, 87 Stat. 1069.)"
---

# § 1371. Authority under other laws and regulations

**(a)** **Impairment of authority or functions of officials and agencies; treaty provisions** March 3, 189930 Stat. 1112section 1344 of this titlesection 403 of this title

This chapter shall not be construed as (1) limiting the authority or functions of any officer or agency of the United States under any other law or regulation not inconsistent with this chapter; (2) affecting or impairing the authority of the Secretary of the Army (A) to maintain navigation or (B) under the Act of , (); except that any permit issued under  shall be conclusive as to the effect on water quality of any discharge resulting from any activity subject to , or (3) affecting or impairing the provisions of any treaty of the United States.

**(b)** **Discharges of pollutants into navigable waters** 36 Stat. 59333 U.S.C. 42125 Stat. 20933 U.S.C. 441–451b

Discharges of pollutants into the navigable waters subject to the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1910 (; ) and the Supervisory Harbors Act of 1888 (; ) shall be regulated pursuant to this chapter, and not subject to such Act of 1910 and the Act of 1888 except as to effect on navigation and anchorage.

**(c)** **Action of the Administrator deemed major Federal action; construction of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969**

**(1)** Except for the provision of Federal financial assistance for the purpose of assisting the construction of publicly owned treatment works as authorized by section 1281 of this title, and the issuance of a permit under section 1342 of this title for the discharge of any pollutant by a new source as defined in section 1316 of this title, no action of the Administrator taken pursuant to this chapter shall be deemed a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (83 Stat. 852) [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.]; and

**(2)** Nothing in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (83 Stat. 852) shall be deemed to—

**(A)** authorize any Federal agency authorized to license or permit the conduct of any activity which may result in the discharge of a pollutant into the navigable waters to review any effluent limitation or other requirement established pursuant to this chapter or the adequacy of any certification under section 1341 of this title; or

**(B)** authorize any such agency to impose, as a condition precedent to the issuance of any license or permit, any effluent limitation other than any such limitation established pursuant to this chapter.

**(d)** **Consideration of international water pollution control agreements** Notwithstanding this chapter or any other provision of law, the Administrator (1) shall not require any State to consider in the development of the ranking in order of priority of needs for the construction of treatment works (as defined in subchapter II of this chapter), any water pollution control agreement which may have been entered into between the United States and any other nation, and (2) shall not consider any such agreement in the approval of any such priority ranking.

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**Source Credit**: (June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title V, § 511, as added Pub. L. 92–500, § 2, Oct. 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 893; amended Pub. L. 93–243, § 3, Jan. 2, 1974, 87 Stat. 1069.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Act of , referred to in subsec. (a), is , , which enacted sections 401, 403, 404, 406, 407, 408, 409, 411 to 416, 418, 502, 549, and 687 of this title and amended . For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1910, referred to in subsec. (b), probably means , .

The Supervisory Harbors Act of 1888, referred to in subsec. (b), probably means , , which is classified generally to subchapter III (§ 441 et seq.) of chapter 9 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsec. (c), is , , , which is classified generally to chapter 55 (§ 4321 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under  and Tables.

### Amendments

1974—Subsec. (d).  added subsec. (d).