# § 9101. Congressional declaration of policy
**(a)** It is declared to be the purposes of the Congress in this chapter to—
**(1)** authorize and regulate the construction, location, ownership, and operation of ocean thermal energy conversion facilities connected to the United States by pipeline or cable, or located in whole or in part between the highwater mark and the seaward boundary of the territorial sea of the United States consistent with the Convention on the High Seas, and general principles of international law;
**(2)** authorize and regulate the construction, location, ownership, and operation of ocean thermal energy conversion plantships documented under the laws of the United States, consistent with the Convention on the High Seas and general principles of international law;
**(3)** authorize and regulate the construction, location, ownership, and operation of ocean thermal energy conversion plantships by United States citizens, consistent with the Convention on the High Seas and general principles of international law;
**(4)** establish a legal regime which will permit and encourage the development of ocean thermal energy conversion as a commercial energy technology;
**(5)** provide for the protection of the marine and coastal environment, and consideration of the interests of ocean users, to prevent or minimize any adverse impact which might occur as a consequence of the development of such ocean thermal energy conversion facilities or plantships;
**1** make applicable certain provisions of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. 1177 et seq.) [^1] to assist in financing of ocean thermal energy conversion facilities and plantships;
See References in Text note below.
**(7)** protect the interests of the United States in the location, construction, and operation of ocean thermal energy conversion facilities and plantships; and
**(8)** protect the rights and responsibilities of adjacent coastal States in ensuring that Federal actions are consistent with approved State coastal zone management programs and other applicable State and local laws.
**(b)** The Congress declares that nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect the legal status of the high seas, the superjacent airspace, or the seabed and subsoil, including the Continental Shelf.
---
**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 96–320, § 2, Aug. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 974; Pub. L. 98–623, title VI, § 602(a)(1), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3410.)
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , known as the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.
The Merchant Marine Act, 1936, referred to in subsec. (a)(6), is , , which was classified principally to chapter 27 (§ 1101 et seq.) of the former Appendix to Title 46, Shipping. The Act, with the exception of title V, most of title VI, and sections 301, 801, 802, 809(a), and 909 thereof, was repealed and restated, mainly in subtitle V of Title 46, by , §§ 8, 19, , , 1710. Title V and sections 301 and 909 of the Act are set out as notes under . Those portions of title VI not repealed by and sections 802 and 809(a) of the Act were repealed by , , . Section 801 of the Act was transferred to by , , . For complete classification of the Act to the Code, see Tables. For disposition of sections of the former Appendix to Title 46, see Disposition Table preceding .
### Amendments
1984—Subsec. (a)(1). substituted “located in whole or in part between the highwater mark and the seaward boundary of the territorial sea” for “located in the territorial sea”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Short Title
> “That this Act [enacting this chapter and
>
> , Appendix, Shipping, amending sections 1271, 1273, and 1274 of Title 46, Appendix, and enacting provisions set out as a note under
>
> , Appendix] may be cited as the ‘Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980’.”
, , , provided:
## Executive Documents
### Territorial Sea of United States
For extension of territorial sea of United States, see Proc. No. 5928, set out as a note under , Public Lands.