---
kind: "section"
citation: "30 U.S.C. § 1733"
title: "30"
title_heading: "Mineral Lands and Mining"
number: "1733"
heading: "Information"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/30/1733"
units:
  - "Chapter 29 — Oil and Gas Royalty Management"
  - "Subchapter II — States and Indian Tribes"
---

# §1733. Information

- (a) **Availability of confidential information by Secretary pursuant to cooperative agreements; conditions—** Trade secrets, proprietary and other confidential information shall be made available by the [Secretary](/usc/30/1702.md?p=15), pursuant to a cooperative agreement, to a [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16) or [Indian tribe](/usc/30/1702.md?p=4) upon request only if—
  - (1) such [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16) or [Indian tribe](/usc/30/1702.md?p=4) consents in writing to restrict the dissemination of the information to those who are directly involved in an audit or investigation under this chapter and who have a need to know;
  - (2) such [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16) or tribe accepts liability for wrongful disclosure;
  - (3) in the case of a [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16), such [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16) demonstrates that such information is essential to the conduct of an audit or investigation or to litigation under [section 1734 of this title](/usc/30/1734.md); and
  - (4) in the case of an [Indian tribe](/usc/30/1702.md?p=4), such tribe demonstrates that such information is essential to the conduct of an audit or investigation and waives sovereign immunity by express consent for wrongful disclosure by such tribe.
- (b) **Nonliability of United States for wrongful disclosure—** The [United States](/usc/30/1702.md?p=33) shall not be liable for the wrongful disclosure by any individual, [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16), or [Indian tribe](/usc/30/1702.md?p=4) of any information provided to such individual, [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16), or [Indian tribe](/usc/30/1702.md?p=4) pursuant to any cooperative agreement or a delegation, authorized by this chapter.
- (c) **Law governing disclosure—** Whenever any individual, [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16), or [Indian tribe](/usc/30/1702.md?p=4) has obtained possession of information pursuant to a cooperative agreement authorized by this section, or any individual or [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16) has obtained possession of information pursuant to a delegation under [section 1735 of this title](/usc/30/1735.md), the individual shall be subject to the same provisions of law with respect to the disclosure of such information as would apply to an officer or employee of the [United States](/usc/30/1702.md?p=33) or of any department or agency thereof and the [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16) or [Indian tribe](/usc/30/1702.md?p=4) shall be subject to the same provisions of law with respect to the disclosure of such information as would apply to the [United States](/usc/30/1702.md?p=33) or any department or agency thereof. No [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16) or [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16) officer or employee who receives trade secrets, proprietary information, or other confidential information under this chapter may be required to disclose such information under [State](/usc/30/1702.md?p=16) law.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–451, title II, § 203, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2458.)