Yamaha Motor Corp., U. S. A. v. Calhoun, 516 U.S. 199, 17 (1996)

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Cite as: 516 U. S. 199 (1996)

Opinion of the Court

bor Workers' Compensation Act, 33 U. S. C. § 901 et seq. See Sun Ship, 447 U. S., at 724 (a State's remedial scheme might be "more generous than federal law" but nevertheless could apply because Congress indicated no concern "about a disparity between adequate federal benefits and superior state benefits") (emphasis in original).13

When Congress has prescribed a comprehensive tort recovery regime to be uniformly applied, there is, we have generally recognized, no cause for enlargement of the damages statutorily provided. See Miles, 498 U. S., at 30-36 (Jones Act, rather than general maritime law, determines damages recoverable in action for wrongful death of seamen); Off-shore Logistics, Inc. v. Tallentire, 477 U. S. 207, 232 (1986) (DOHSA, which limits damages to pecuniary losses, may not be supplemented by nonpecuniary damages under a state wrongful-death statute); Mobil Oil Corp. v. Higginbotham, 436 U. S. 618, 624-625 (1978) (DOHSA precludes damages for loss of society under general maritime law). But Congress has not prescribed remedies for the wrongful deaths of nonseafarers in territorial waters. See Miles, 498 U. S., at 31. There is, however, a relevant congressional disposition. Section 7 of DOHSA states: "The provisions of any State statute giving or regulating rights of action or remedies for death

13 Federal maritime law has long accommodated the States' interest in regulating maritime affairs within their territorial waters. See, e. g., Just v. Chambers, 312 U. S. 383, 390 (1941) ("maritime law [is] not a complete and perfect system"; "a considerable body of municipal law . . . underlies . . . its administration"). States have thus traditionally contributed to the provision of environmental and safety standards for maritime activities. See, e. g., Askew v. American Waterways Operators, Inc., 411 U. S. 325 (1973) (oil pollution); Huron Portland Cement Co. v. Detroit, 362 U. S. 440 (1960) (air pollution); Kelly v. Washington ex rel. Foss Co., 302 U. S. 1 (1937) (safety inspection); Cooley v. Board of Wardens of Port of Philadelphia ex rel. Soc. for Relief of Distressed Pilots, 12 How. 299 (1852) (pilot-age regulation). Permissible state regulation, we have recognized, must be consistent with federal maritime principles and policies. See Romero, 358 U. S., at 373-374.

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