---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 1477"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "1477"
heading: "Reasonable measures; considerations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/1477"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Pollution Casualties on the High Seas: United States Intervention"
---

# §1477. Reasonable measures; considerations

- (a) Measures directed or conducted under this chapter shall be proportionate to the damage, actual or threatened, to the coastline or related interests of the [United States](/usc/33/1471.md?p=7) and may not go beyond what is reasonably necessary to prevent, mitigate, or eliminate that damage.
- (b) In considering whether measures are proportionate to the damage the [Secretary](/usc/33/1471.md?p=4) shall, among other things, consider—
  - (1) the extent and probability of imminent damage if those measures are not taken;
  - (2) the likelihood of effectiveness of those measures; and
  - (3) the extent of the damage which may be caused by those measures.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 93–248, § 8, Feb. 5, 1974, 88 Stat. 9.)