Great Lakes Navigation System Sustainability Act of 2013

To implement a program establishing the Great Lakes Navigation System, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Great Lakes Navigation System Sustainability Act of 2013 2. Definitions In this Act the term— (1) Great Lakes Great Lakes Navigational System (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 and recreational 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 Government for commercial navigation. (2) eligible operations and maintenance 33 U.S.C. 2241 (3) Secretary 3. Great Lakes Navigation System (a) Management of Great Lakes Navigation System To sustain the most effective and efficient operation and maintenance of the Great Lakes Navigation System, the Secretary, acting through the Chief of Engineers, shall manage and allocate funding for all of the individually authorized commercial and recreational navigation projects in the Great Lakes Navigation System as components of a single, comprehensive system, recognizing the interdependence of the projects. (b) Cargo measurements Cargo measurements for the purpose of prioritizing annual operations and maintenance budget resources for the Great Lakes Navigation System, and for any of the component projects of the System, shall aggregate the tonnage of all components of the System. 4. Great Lakes System Sustainability (a) In general The Secretary, acting through the Chief of Engineers, shall establish a program to fund eligible operations and maintenance projects of the Great Lakes Navigation System with the objective of maintaining such projects to their authorized depths and widths. (b) Consultation The Secretary shall consult with the Congressional delegations from States that border the Great Lakes in developing annual priorities for the apportionment of funding authorized to be appropriated pursuant to this section. (c) Authorization of Appropriations For each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023, there is authorized to be appropriated from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund established by section 9505 of the Internal Revenue Code $200,000,000 to fund eligible operations and maintenance of the Great Lakes Navigation System. Funds appropriated pursuant to this section may remain available until expended. (d) Cost Share (1) In general Of the amounts made available pursuant to subsection (c), the Secretary, acting through the Chief of Engineers, shall give a higher priority to projects described in paragraph (2) than to projects described in paragraph (3). (2) Certain harbors providing a cost share (A) Not subject to harbor maintenance fee A Great Lakes Navigation System project that is not subject to the harbor maintenance fee under section 24.24 (B) Subject to harbor maintenance trust fund but no cargo A Great Lakes Navigation System project that is subject to the harbor maintenance fee under section 24.24 (3) Certain harbors with no cost share A Great Lakes Navigation System project that otherwise meets the description in subparagraphs (A) or (B) of paragraph (2), and for which the non-Federal sponsor of the project does not provide a cost share of 50 percent of the costs of eligible operations and maintenance expenses, is eligible to receive Federal operations and maintenance funds made available pursuant to subsection (c) after projects under such subparagraphs are funded.

Summary: Great Lakes Navigation System Sustainability Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to manage and allocate funding for all commercial and recreational navigation projects in the Great Lakes Navigation System as components of a single system, recognizing the interdependence of the projects. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to: (1) establish a program to fund eligible operations and maintenenace projects of the System to their authorized depths and widths, and (2) give higher priority to projects at certain harbors in which a 50% non-federal share of costs of eligible operations and maintenance expenses is provided.