120 STAT. 1638
PUBLIC LAW 109–304—OCT. 6, 2006 ‘‘(3) a vessel transporting valueless material or dredged material, regardless of whether it has commercial value, from a point in the United States or on the high seas within the exclusive economic zone, to another point in the United States or on the high seas within the exclusive economic zone. ‘‘(c) PENALTIES.— ‘‘(1) OWNER AND MASTER.—The owner and master of a vessel towing another vessel in violation of this section are each liable for a penalty of at least $350 but not more than $1,100. A penalty under this paragraph constitutes a lien on the vessel. The lien is enforceable in a district court of the United States for any district in which the vessel is found. Clearance may not be granted to the vessel until the penalties have been paid. ‘‘(2) VESSEL.—In addition to the penalties under paragraph (1), the towing vessel is liable for a penalty of $60 per ton based on the tonnage of each towed vessel.
‘‘§ 55112. Vessel escort operations and towing assistance ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except in the case of a vessel in distress, only a vessel of the United States may perform the following escort vessel operations within the navigable waters of the United States: ‘‘(1) Operations that commence or terminate at a port or place in the United States. ‘‘(2) Operations required by United States law or regulation. ‘‘(3) Operations provided in whole or in part within or through navigation facilities owned, maintained, or operated by the United States Government or the approaches to those facilities, other than facilities operated by the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation on the St. Lawrence River portion of the Seaway. ‘‘(b) ESCORT VESSELS.—For purposes of this section, an escort vessel is— ‘‘(1) any vessel that is assigned and dedicated to assist another vessel, whether or not tethered to that vessel, solely as a safety precaution to assist in controlling the speed or course of the assisted vessel in the event of a steering or propulsion equipment failure, or any other similar emergency circumstance, or in restricted waters where additional assistance in maneuvering the vessel is required to ensure its safe operation; and ‘‘(2) in the case of a vessel being towed under section 55111 of this title, any vessel that is assigned and dedicated to the vessel being towed in addition to any towing vessel required under that section. ‘‘(c) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAW.—This section does not affect section 55111 of this title. ‘‘(d) PENALTY.—A person violating this section is liable to the Government for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each day during which the violation occurs. ‘‘§ 55113. Use of foreign documented oil spill response vessels ‘‘Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an oil spill response vessel documented under the laws of a foreign country may operate in waters of the United States on an emergency and temporary basis, for the purpose of recovering, transporting,
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