---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 9121"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "9121"
heading: "Suspension, revocation, and termination of licenses"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/9121"
units:
  - "Chapter 99 — Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion"
  - "Subchapter I — Regulation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Facilities and Plantships"
---

# §9121. Suspension, revocation, and termination of licenses

- (a) **Filing of action by Attorney General; automatic suspension—** Whenever a [licensee](/usc/42/9102.md?p=10) fails to comply with any applicable provision of this chapter or any applicable rule, regulation, restriction, or condition issued or imposed by the [Administrator](/usc/42/9102.md?p=2) under the authority of this chapter, the Attorney General, at the request of the [Administrator](/usc/42/9102.md?p=2), shall file an action in the appropriate United States district court to—
  - (1) suspend the license; or
  - (2) if such failure is knowing and continues for a period of 30 days after the [Administrator](/usc/42/9102.md?p=2) mails notification of such failure by registered letter to the [licensee](/usc/42/9102.md?p=10) at his record post office address, revoke such license.

  No proceeding under this section is necessary if the license, by its terms, provides for automatic suspension or termination upon the occurrence of a fixed or agreed upon condition, event, or time.

- (b) **Immediate suspension of construction or operation pending completion of proceedings—** If the [Administrator](/usc/42/9102.md?p=2) determines that immediate suspension of the [construction](/usc/42/9102.md?p=6) or operation of an [ocean thermal energy conversion facility](/usc/42/9102.md?p=11) or [plantship](/usc/42/9102.md?p=13) or any component thereof is necessary to protect public health and safety or to eliminate imminent and substantial danger to the environment the [Administrator](/usc/42/9102.md?p=2) may order the [licensee](/usc/42/9102.md?p=10) to cease or alter such [construction](/usc/42/9102.md?p=6) or operation pending the completion of a judicial proceeding pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) of this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–320, title I, § 111, Aug. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 988; Pub. L. 98–623, title VI, § 602(e)(17), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3412.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 96–320, Aug. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 974, known as the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 9101 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

1984—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–623 substituted “environment” for “environment established by any treaty or convention,”.