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ciated with ice coverage on the Great 
Lakes; 
(II) the impact the standards 
proposed in paragraph (2) would have 
on Coast Guard operations in the 
Great Lakes if such standards were 
adopted; 
(III) the fleet mix of medium ice-
breakers and icebreaking tugs nec-
essary to meet the standards proposed 
in paragraph (2); and 
(IV) the resources necessary to 
support the fleet described in sub-
clause (III), including billets for crew 
and operating costs; and 
(ii) make recommendations to the 
Commandant for improvements to the 
Great Lakes icebreaking program, includ-
ing with respect to facilitating shipping 
and meeting all Coast Guard mission 
needs. 
(2) PROPOSED STANDARDS FOR ICEBREAKING 
OPERATIONS.—The proposed standards, the impact 
of the adoption of which is evaluated in subclauses 
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(II) and (III) of paragraph (1)(B)(i), are the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Except as provided in subparagraph 
(B), the ice-covered waterways in the Great 
Lakes shall be open to navigation not less than 
90 percent of the hours that vessels engaged in 
commercial service and ferries attempt to tran-
sit such ice-covered waterways. 
(B) In a year in which the Great Lakes 
are not open to navigation, as described in sub-
paragraph (A), because of ice of a thickness 
that occurs on average only once every 10 
years, ice-covered waterways in the Great Lakes 
shall be open to navigation at least 70 percent 
of the hours that vessels engaged in commercial 
service and ferries attempt to transit such ice- 
covered waterways. 
(3) REPORT BY COMMANDANT.—Not later than 
90 days after the date on which the Comptroller 
General submits the report under paragraph (1), the 
Commandant shall submit to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives a report 
that includes the following: 
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(A) A plan for Coast Guard implementa-
tion of any recommendation made by the Comp-
troller General under paragraph (1)(B)(ii) with 
which the Commandant concurs. 
(B) With respect to any recommendation 
made under paragraph (1)(B)(ii) with which 
the Commandant does not concur, an expla-
nation of the reasons why the Commandant 
does not concur. 
(C) A review of, and a proposed implemen-
tation plan for, the results of the fleet mix anal-
ysis under paragraph (1)(B)(i)(III). 
(D) Any proposed modifications to current 
Coast Guard standards for icebreaking oper-
ations in the Great Lakes. 
(4) PILOT PROGRAM.—During the 5 ice seasons 
following the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Coast Guard shall conduct a pilot program to deter-
mine the extent to which the current Coast Guard 
Great Lakes icebreaking cutter fleet can meet the 
proposed standards described in paragraph (2). 
(b) DATA ON ICEBREAKING OPERATIONS IN THE 
GREAT LAKES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commandant shall col-
lect, during ice season, archive, and disseminate data 
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on icebreaking operations and transits on ice-covered 
waterways in the Great Lakes of vessels engaged in 
commercial service and ferries. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Data collected, archived, and 
disseminated under paragraph (1) shall include the 
following: 
(A) Voyages by vessels engaged in com-
mercial service and ferries to transit ice-covered 
waterways in the Great Lakes that are delayed 
or canceled because of the nonavailability of a 
suitable icebreaking vessel. 
(B) Voyages attempted by vessels engaged 
in commercial service and ferries to transit ice- 
covered waterways in the Great Lakes that do 
not reach their intended destination because of 
the nonavailability of a suitable icebreaking ves-
sel. 
(C) The period of time that each vessel en-
gaged in commercial service or ferry was de-
layed in getting underway or during a transit of 
ice-covered waterways in the Great Lakes due 
to the nonavailability of a suitable icebreaking 
vessel. 
(D) The period of time elapsed between 
each request for icebreaking assistance by a 
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vessel engaged in commercial service or ferry 
and the arrival of a suitable icebreaking vessel 
and whether such icebreaking vessel was a 
Coast Guard or commercial asset. 
(E) The percentage of hours that Great 
Lakes ice-covered waterways were open to navi-
gation while vessels engaged in commercial 
service and ferries attempted to transit such 
waterways for each ice season after the date of 
enactment of this Act. 
(F) Relevant communications of each ves-
sel engaged in commercial service or ferry with 
the Coast Guard or commercial icebreaking 
service providers with respect to subparagraphs 
(A) through (D). 
(G) A description of any mitigating cir-
cumstance, such as Coast Guard Great Lakes 
icebreaker diversions to higher priority mis-
sions, that may have contributed to the amount 
of time described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) 
or the percentage of time described in subpara-
graph (E). 
(3) VOLUNTARY REPORTING.—Any reporting by 
operators of commercial vessels engaged in commer-
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