V 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2570 

To exempt the vessel John Craig from certain requirements when operating 

on a portion of the Kentucky River, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 27, 2013 

Mr. BARR introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To exempt the vessel John Craig from certain requirements 

when operating on a portion of the Kentucky River, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Valley View Ferry 

5 Preservation Act of 2013’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) The Valley View Ferry is the oldest continu9 ously operated ferry west of the Appalachian Moun10 tains and the third oldest in the United States. 


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1 (2) The vessel utilized by the Valley View 

2 Ferry, the vessel John Craig, does not have steering 

capabilities; instead, it is attached to 2 overhead, 7 3 ⁄8

4 inch diameter cables that guide the vessel to each 

5 side of the river. 

6 (3) The crossing distance for the Valley View 

7 Ferry is approximately 500 feet. 

8 (4) The Valley View Ferry is located on the 

9 Kentucky River between the cities of Lexington, 

10 Nicholasville, and Richmond in Central Kentucky. 

11 (5) The John Craig is a 24-ton vessel that is 

12 60 feet long and 14 feet wide. 

13 (6) The Valley View Ferry does not carry vehi14 cles with combustible materials. 

15 (7) The Valley View Ferry is a toll-free ferry. 

16 (8) Federal regulations changed in 2006, which 

17 established a new requirement that the Valley View 

18 Ferry comply with all Coast Guard inspection and li19 censing regulations. 

20 (9) The new licensing regulations for operators 

21 of the vessel John Craig threaten to close the his22 toric ferry. 

23 (10) While the Coast Guard should maintain 

24 safety inspection authority with respect to the Valley 


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1 View Ferry, licensing authority should reside with 

2 the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 

3 SEC. 3. VALLEY VIEW FERRY. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi5 sion of law, the vessel John Craig (United States official 

6 number D1110613), if operating on the covered portion 

7 of the Kentucky River, shall be exempt from the require8 ment under section 8902 of title 46, United States Code, 

9 that the vessel be operated by an individual licensed by 

10 the Secretary. 

11 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The exemption under sub13 section (a) shall take effect on the date on which the 

14 Secretary determines that a licensing requirement 

15 under Kentucky State law has been established that 

16 applies to the vessel John Craig. 

17 (2) CONTINUED EFFECT.—The exemption 

18 under subsection (a), upon taking effect as the re19 sult of a State law under paragraph (1), shall re20 main in effect for the period during which such 

21 State law is in effect. 

22 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi23 nitions apply: 

24 (1) COVERED PORTION OF THE KENTUCKY

25 RIVER.—The term ‘‘covered portion of the Kentucky 


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1 River’’ means the portion of the Kentucky River, 

2 Kentucky, located at approximately mile point 158, 

3 in Pool Number 9, between Lock and Dam Number 

4 9 and Lock and Dam Number 10. 

5 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ has 

6 the meaning given that term in section 2101 of title 

7 46, United States Code. 

Æ 


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