---
kind: "section"
citation: "30 U.S.C. § 1423"
title: "30"
title_heading: "Mineral Lands and Mining"
number: "1423"
heading: "Records, audits, and public disclosure"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/30/1423"
units:
  - "Chapter 26 — Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources"
  - "Subchapter I — Regulation of Exploration and Commercial Recovery by United States Citizens"
---

# §1423. Records, audits, and public disclosure

- (a) **Records and audits—**
  - (1) Each [licensee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=8) and [permittee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=9) shall keep such records, consistent with standard accounting principles, as the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) shall by regulation prescribe. Such records shall include information which will fully disclose expenditures for [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) and [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1), including processing, of [hard mineral resources](/usc/30/1403.md?p=6), and such other information as will facilitate an effective audit of such expenditures.
  - (2) The [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) and the Comptroller General of the [United States](/usc/30/1403.md?p=13), or any of their duly authorized representatives, shall have access, for purposes of audit and examination, to any books, documents, papers, and records of [licensees](/usc/30/1403.md?p=8) and [permittees](/usc/30/1403.md?p=9) which are necessary and directly pertinent to verify the expenditures referred to in [paragraph (1)](#a-1).
- (b) **Submission of data and information—** Each [licensee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=8) and [permittee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=9) shall be required to submit to the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) such data or other information as the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) may reasonably need for purposes of making determinations with respect to the issuance, revocation, modification, or suspension of any license or permit; compliance with the reporting requirement contained in [section 1469](/usc/30/1469.md)[^1] of this title; and evaluation of the [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) or [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) activities conducted by the [licensee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=8) or [permittee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=9).
- (c) **Public disclosure—** Copies of any document, report, communication, or other record maintained or received by the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) containing data or information required under this subchapter shall be made available to any [person](/usc/30/1403.md?p=10) upon any request which (1) reasonably describes such record and (2) is made in accordance with rules adopted by the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) stating the time, place, fees (if any, not to exceed the direct cost of the services rendered), and procedures to be followed, except that neither the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) nor any other officer or employee of the [United States](/usc/30/1403.md?p=13) may disclose any data or information knowingly and willingly required under this subchapter the disclosure of which is prohibited by [section 1905 of title 18](/usc/18/1905.md). Any officer or employee of the [United States](/usc/30/1403.md?p=13) who discloses data or information in violation of this subsection shall be subject to the penalties set forth in [section 1463(b) of this title](/usc/30/1463.md?p=b).

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–283, title I, § 113, June 28, 1980, 94 Stat. 571.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 1469 of this title, referred to in subsec. (b), was omitted from the Code.