33 USC 2238 - Authorization of appropriations

View all text of Subchapter II [§ 2231 - § 2243]

§ 2238. Authorization of appropriations

(a) Trust fundThere are authorized to be appropriated out of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, established by section 9505 of title 26, for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to pay—

(1) 100 percent of the eligible operations and maintenance costs of those portions of the Saint Lawrence Seaway operated and maintained by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation for such fiscal year; and

(2) up to 100 percent of the eligible operations and maintenance costs assigned to commercial navigation of all harbors and inland harbors within the United States.

(b) General fund

(1) In general

(2) Criteria

(A) In generalIn determining an equitable allocation of funds under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—

(i) consider the information obtained in the assessment conducted under subsection (e);

(ii) consider the national and regional significance of harbor operations and maintenance; and

(iii) as appropriate, consider national security and military readiness needs.

(B) Limitation

(3) Emerging harbor projects

(A) Allocation

(B) Additional uses at emerging harbors

(i) Uses

(ii) Eligible emerging harborsThe Secretary may use funds as authorized under clause (i) at an emerging harbor that—(I) supports commercial activities, including commercial fishing operations, commercial fish processing operations, recreational and sport fishing, and commercial boat yards; or(II) supports activities of the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating.

(iii) Cost-sharing requirements

(4) Management of Great Lakes Navigation System

(d) Prioritization

(1) Priority

(A) In general

(B) Additional considerationsFor each fiscal year, of the priority funds available, the Secretary shall use—

(i) not less than 5 percent of such funds for underserved harbor projects; and

(ii) not less than 10 percent of such funds for projects that are located within the Great Lakes Navigation System.

(C) Underserved harborsIn determining which underserved harbor projects shall receive funds under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consider—

(i) the total quantity of commerce supported by the water body on which the project is located; and

(ii) the minimum width and depth that—(I) would be necessary at the underserved harbor project to provide sufficient clearance for fully loaded commercial vessels using the underserved harbor project to maneuver safely; and(II) does not exceed the constructed width and depth of the authorized navigation project.

(2) Expanded uses

(A) Definition of eligible harbor or inland harbor defined

(B) Use of expanded uses funds

(i) Fiscal years 2015 through 2024

(ii) Subsequent fiscal years

(C) PrioritizationIn allocating funds under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority to projects at eligible harbors or inland harbors for which the difference, calculated in dollars, is greatest between—

(i) the total amount of funding made available for projects at that eligible harbor or inland harbor from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund in the immediately preceding 3 fiscal years; and

(ii) the total amount of harbor maintenance taxes collected at that harbor or inland harbor in the immediately preceding 3 fiscal years.

(3) Remaining funds

(A) In general

(B) CriteriaIn determining an equitable allocation of funds under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall—

(i) use the criteria specified in subsection (c)(2)(A); and

(ii) make amounts available in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (1)(A).

(4) Emergency expendituresNothing in this subsection prohibits the Secretary from making an expenditure to pay for the operation and maintenance costs of a specific harbor or inland harbor, including the transfer of funding from the operation and maintenance of a separate project, if—

(A) the Secretary determines that the action is necessary to address the navigation needs of a harbor or inland harbor where safe navigation has been severely restricted due to an unforeseen event; and

(B) the Secretary provides within 90 days of the action notice and information on the need for the action to the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

(e) Assessment of harbors and inland harbors

(1) In general

(2) Assessment of harbor needs and activities

(A) Total operation and maintenance needs of harborsIn carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall identify—

(i) the total future costs required to achieve and maintain the constructed width and depth for the harbors and inland harbors referred to in subsection (a)(2); and

(ii) the total expected costs for uses described in subsection (c)(3)(B) and expanded uses at eligible harbors or inland harbors referred to in subsection (d)(2).

(B) Uses of harbors and inland harborsIn carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall identify current uses (and, to the extent practicable, assess the national, regional, and local benefits of such uses) of harbors and inland harbors referred to in subsection (a)(2), including the use of those harbors for—

(i) commercial navigation, including the movement of goods;

(ii) domestic trade;

(iii) international trade;

(iv) commercial fishing;

(v) subsistence, including use by Indian tribes (as defined in section 5304 of title 25) for subsistence and ceremonial purposes;

(vi) use as a harbor of refuge;

(vii) transportation of persons;

(viii) purposes relating to domestic energy production, including the fabrication, servicing, or supply of domestic offshore energy production facilities;

(ix) activities of the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating;

(x) activities of the Secretary of the Navy;

(xi) public health and safety related equipment for responding to coastal and inland emergencies;

(xii) recreation purposes; and

(xiii) other authorized purposes.

(3) Report to Congress

(A) In generalFor fiscal year 2016, and biennially thereafter, in conjunction with the President’s annual budget submission to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that, with respect to harbors and inland harbors referred to in subsection (a)(2)—

(i) identifies the operation and maintenance costs associated with the harbors and inland harbors, including those costs required to achieve and maintain the constructed width and depth for the harbors and inland harbors and the costs for expanded uses at eligible harbors and inland harbors, on a project-by-project basis;

(ii) identifies the amount of funding requested in the President’s budget for the operation and maintenance costs associated with the harbors and inland harbors, on a project-by-project basis;

(iii) identifies the unmet operation and maintenance needs associated with the harbors and inland harbors, on a project-by-project basis; and

(iv) identifies the harbors and inland harbors for which the President will allocate funding over the subsequent 5 fiscal years for operation and maintenance activities, on a project-by-project basis, including the amounts to be allocated for such purposes.

(B) Additional requirement

(f) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Constructed width and depth

(2) Emerging harbor

(3) Emerging harbor project

(4) Expanded usesThe term “expanded uses” means the following activities:

(A) The maintenance dredging of a berth in a harbor that is accessible to a Federal navigation project and that benefits commercial navigation at the harbor.

(B) The maintenance dredging and disposal of legacy-contaminated sediment, and sediment unsuitable for open water disposal, if—

(i) such dredging and disposal benefits commercial navigation at the harbor; and

(ii) such sediment is located in and affects the maintenance of a Federal navigation project or is located in a berth that is accessible to a Federal navigation project.

(i) is for the seismic reinforcement of a wharf or other berthing structure, or the repair or replacement of a deteriorating wharf or other berthing structure, at a port facility;

(ii) benefits commercial navigation at the harbor; and

(iii) is located in, or adjacent to, a berth that is accessible to a Federal navigation project.

(D) An activity to maintain slope stability at a berth in a harbor that is accessible to a Federal navigation project if such activity benefits commercial navigation at the harbor.

(5) Great Lakes Navigation SystemThe term “Great Lakes Navigation System” includes—

(A)

(i) Lake Superior;

(ii) Lake Huron;

(iii) Lake Michigan;

(iv) Lake Erie; and

(v) Lake Ontario;

(B) all connecting waters between the lakes referred to in subparagraph (A) used for commercial navigation;

(C) any navigation features in the lakes referred to in subparagraph (A) or waters described in subparagraph (B) that are a Federal operation or maintenance responsibility; and

(D) areas of the Saint Lawrence River that are operated or maintained by the Federal Government for commercial navigation.

(6) Harbor maintenance tax

(7) Moderate-use harbor projectThe term “moderate-use harbor project” means a project that is assigned to a harbor or inland harbor referred to in subsection (a)(2) that transits annually—

(A) more than 1,000,000 tons of cargo; but

(B) less than 10,000,000 tons of cargo.

(8) Priority fundsThe term “priority funds” means the difference between—

(A) the total funds that are made available under this section to pay the costs described in subsection (a)(2) for a fiscal year; and

(B) the total funds made available under this section to pay the costs described in subsection (a)(2) in fiscal year 2012.

(9) Underserved harbor project

(A) In generalThe term “underserved harbor project” means a project that is assigned to a harbor or inland harbor referred to in subsection (a)(2)—

(i) that is a moderate-use harbor project or an emerging harbor project;

(ii) that has been maintained at less than the constructed width and depth of the project during each of the preceding 6 fiscal years; and

(iii) for which State and local investments in infrastructure have been made at those projects during the preceding 6 fiscal years.

(B) Administration

(Pub. L. 99–662, title II, § 210, Nov. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 4106; Pub. L. 101–640, title III, § 316, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4641; Pub. L. 113–121, title II, § 2102(a), June 10, 2014, 128 Stat. 1273; Pub. L. 114–322, title I, §§ 1103, 1107, 1114, Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1633, 1634, 1638; Pub. L. 115–270, title I, § 1216, Oct. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 3810; Pub. L. 116–260, div. AA, title I, § 102(b), title V, § 512(c)(5)(B), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2619, 2756.)