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Research Guide for U.S. Ocean & Coastal Law

Updated July 1, 2008.
Prepared by Cheryl Nyberg; updated by Amanda Runyon & Sabrina Sondhi.
Originally prepared for Law B565/SMA 515, Prof. Marc Hershman.

This class focuses on the U.S. legal framework for controlling allocation and use of coastal and marine resources. Topics include coastal zone management, fisheries management, protection of marine mammals and endangered species, marine pollution, offshore oil and gas development, and marine transportation.

This research guide follows the organization of topics in Coastal and Ocean Law: Cases and Materials, 3d ed., 1999.

Note: LexisNexis Academic and LegalTrac are commercial services to which the UW Libraries subscribe. Access is restricted to University of Washington faculty, students, and staff and other users who are visiting a UW library. All other websites listed in this guide are freely available.

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Gallagher guide on U.S. Admiralty & Maritime Law

University of Oregon, Ocean and Coastal Law Center Collection

Internet Guide to International Fisheries Law

Roger Williams University School of Law Library, Admiralty/Maritime and Coastal/Ocean Law: A Guide to Selected Resources

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Collections of Reports & Materials Online

Congressional Research Service, Ocean & Coastal Resources: A Briefing Book and other reports on marine, water, and wetlands issues

Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL), primary documents on international law conventions concerning oceans and law of the sea

Environmental Law Institute, Ocean Program

Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Coastal Links

The National Sea Grant Law Center

Oregon Sea Grant, Ocean & Coastal Resource Links and Ocean and Coastal Topics

University of Maine, Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

University of Oregon, Ocean and Coastal Law Center, Ocean and Coastal Law Memos

U.S. Ocean Commission, Review of U.S. Ocean and Coastal Law: the Evolution of Ocean Governance Over Three Decades.  Note: the U.S. Ocean Commission expired on December 19, 2004; the information presented in this article may not be up to date)

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Chapter 1: Public & Private Interests in Coastal Lands & Waters

For law review articles on the public trust doctrine, search LegalTrac or LexisNexis Academic by the phrase "public trust doctrine.

Chapter 2 : Protecting Water Quality & Water Habitats

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Directorate of Civil Works. Among their duties: plan, design, build, operate, and maintain projects that provide river and harbor navigation, flood control, water supply, hydroelectric power, environmental restoration, wildlife protection and recreation.

• Environmental policy digest
• Policy guidance letters
• Environmental regulations on Environmental activities, Permits and wetlands, and Recreation.
• Policy Pocket Reference: a succinct summary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorities and policies that address its water resources missions (deals with navigation; flood damage reduction; emergency streambank and shore protection; coastal storm damage reduction; and emergency preparedness, response and recovery).
• Guidance documents , including engineer circulars, manuals, pamphlets, and regulations; model agreements; policy guidance letters; environmental advisory bulletins; and other publications.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds

• Wetlands Laws, Regulations & Guidance
• Oceans and Coastal Protection (covers marine pollution control, air pollution and water quality, the national estuary program, marine debris, coral reefs, ocean dumping and dredged material management, and geographic information)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (which includes Washington State)

• Puget Sound information
• Puget Sound Shorelines: environmental information and links from the State of Washington

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Chapter 3: Comprehensive Management of Coastal Development

U.S. Dep't of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

• Ocean and Coastal Resource Management: Coastal Zone Management information and Coastal Programs Division
• National Ocean Service

Takings: Sources with information and differing perspectives

• Community Rights Counsel, The Takings Project: Using Federal Courts to Attack Community and Environmental Protections
• Encyclopedia of Law and Economics chapter on takings
• Ilya Somin & Jonathan H. Adler, The Green Costs of Kelo: Economic Development Takings and Environmental Protection

Washington Dep't of Ecology, Shorelands and the Shoreline Master Program Guidelines Rule

King County Municipal Code, Title 25, Shoreline Management

The Coastal States Organization works to improve the management of the nation's coasts, oceans, and the Great Lakes.

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Chapter 4: U.S. Rights & Jurisdiction in the Ocean under the International Law of the Sea

Gallagher guide on International Law of the Sea

U.S. Dep't of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental & Scientific Affairs

U.S. Dep't of the Interior, Minerals Management Service manages mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf.

U.S. Dep't of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, provides a "mapfinder" for coastal photographs and nautical charts

Submerged Lands Act, 43 USC 1301 et seq.

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Chapter 5: Ocean Energy and Mineral Resources

U.S. Department of Interior, Minerals Management Service

• Offshore Minerals Management
• Electronic Library of Interior Policies includes Secretary's orders, departmental manuals, bulletins, and memoranda.
• Minerals Revenue Management Program: collects, accounts for and distributes revenues associated with mineral production from leased federal and Indian lands

U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Sanctuaries

Alaska

• Alaska Dep't of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land & Water handles minerals exploration, permits, royalties, prospecting, and water rights.
• Alaska Dep't of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas manages oil and gas leasing and offers publications, maps, photographs, and statistics.

California

• California State Lands Commission, includes a report on the status of offshore oil and gas leases.
• Cal OCEAN, California Ocean and Coastal Environmental Access Network, includes a wealth of information from and about federal and state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and educational/research institutions.

Oregon

• Oregon Dep't of Land Conservation and Development
• Oregon Coastal Management Program
• Oregon Dep't of Geology & Mineral Resources contains information on oil and gas.
• Oregon Dep't of State Lands: One section of the website deals with public ownership of submerged and submersible land.

Washington 

• Washington Dep't of Ecology, Coastal Zone Management Grants Program
• Washington Dep't of Natural Resources, Aquatic Resources Division and Nearshore Habitat Program
• Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

Chapter 6: Ocean and Coastal Fisheries

U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service

• Information about major laws, treaties and agreements
• Northwest Regional Office, Seattle
• Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (current thru Oct. 1996)
• Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (current through January 12, 2007)
• Summaries of key amendments and changes between the two Acts
• Sustainable Fisheries Act

Washington Dep't of Fish and Wildlife deals with commercial and recreational fishing programs.

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Chapter 7: Marine Wildlife Preservation

U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources deals with protected marine mammals and endangered species, including reports to Congress.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Homepage provides comprehensive information on protected species and related programs.

• An introduction to the Endangered Species Act
• Endangered species related laws, regulations, policies and notices

Environmental Treaties and Resources Indicators: compiles dozens of international and multilateral treaties, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (commonly called CITES).

Chapter 8: Pollution of Coastal and Ocean Waters

Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (available in PDF format)

U.S. Coast Guard Oil Spill Response contains a wealth of information and material, including operations guides, memoranda of understanding, a directory of spill removal organizations, and reports (including a Pollution Incidents Compendium with descriptions of oil spills in and around the U.S. from 1969 to 1998).

U.S. Coast Guard, 13^th District, Seattle

International Maritime Organization contains information on international conventions.

Washington Dep't of Ecology, Spills Program

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Spill Prevention & Response

Natural Resources Defense Council publications on Oceans & Water

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