United States v. California (1979)
- Docket
- 5-orig
- Decided
- 1979-01-01
- Category
- General
Summary
Question: Do man-made piers and islands qualify as "coast line" under the Submerged Lands Act of 1953? Conclusion: No. In a unanimous 8-0 decision, the Court held that the special master's determination was correct. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Warren E. Burger acknowledged the ambiguity in the Submerged Lands Act. However, since the piers and island in dispute did not provide protection, they did not qualify as "harbor works" that would have extended the coastline.