due into the waters of the Great Lakes under the ju-
risdiction of the United States is enacted; or
(2) September 30, 2002.
SEC. 416. CONVEYANCE OF LIGHTHOUSES.
(a) AUTHORITY TO CONVEY.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commandant of the
Coast Guard, or the Administrator of the General
Services Administration, as appropriate, may convey,
by an appropriate means of conveyance, all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to each
of the following properties:
(A) Light Station Sand Point, located in
Escanaba, Michigan, to the Delta County His-
torical Society.
(B) Light Station Dunkirk, located in Dun-
kirk, New York, to the Dunkirk Historical Light-
house and Veterans’ Park Museum.
(C) The Mukilteo Light Station, located in
Mukilteo, Washington, to the City of Mukilteo.
(D) Eagle Harbor Light Station, located in
Michigan, to the Keweenaw County Historical
Society.
(E) Cape Decision Light Station, located in
Alaska, to the Cape Decision Lighthouse Society.
(F) Cape St. Elias Light Station, located in
Alaska, to the Cape St. Elias Light Keepers As-
sociation.
(G) Five Finger Light Station, located in
Alaska, to the Juneau Lighthouse Association.
(H) Point Retreat Light Station, located in
Alaska, to the Alaska Lighthouse Association.
(I) Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, located in
New York, to the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse
Preservation Society.
(J) Georgetown Light, located in George-
town County, South Carolina, to the South
Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
(K) Coast Guard Light Station Two Har-
bors, located in Lake County, Minnesota, to the
Lake County Historical Society.
(2) IDENTIFICATION OF PROPERTY.—The Com-
mandant or Administrator, as appropriate, may
identify, describe, and determine the property to be
conveyed under this subsection.
(3) EXCEPTION.—The Commandant or Adminis-
trator, as appropriate, may not convey any historical
artifact, including any lens or lantern, located on the
property at or before the time of the conveyance.
(b) TERMS OF CONVEYANCE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The conveyance of property
under this section shall be made—
(A) without payment of consideration; and
(B) subject to the terms and conditions re-
quired by this section and other terms and con-
ditions the Commandant or the Administrator,
as appropriate, may consider, including the res-
ervation of easements and other rights on behalf
of the United States.
(2) REVERSIONARY INTEREST.—In addition to
any term or condition established under this section,
the conveyance of property under this section shall be
subject to the condition that all right, title, and inter-
est in the property shall immediately revert to the
United States if—
(A) the property, or any part of the prop-
erty—
(i) ceases to be used as a nonprofit cen-
ter for public benefit for the interpretation
and preservation of maritime history;
(ii) ceases to be maintained in a man-
ner that is consistent with its present or fu-
ture use as a site for Coast Guard aids to
navigation or compliance with this Act; or
(iii) ceases to be maintained in a man-
ner consistent with the conditions in para-
graph (5) established by the Commandant
or the Administrator, as appropriate, pur-
suant to the National Historic Preservation
Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.); or
(B) at least 30 days before that reversion,
the Commandant or the Administrator, as ap-
propriate, provides written notice to the owner
that the property is needed for national security
purposes.
(3) MAINTENANCE OF NAVIGATION FUNCTIONS.—
The conveyance of property under this section shall be
made subject to the conditions that the Commandant
or Administrator, as appropriate, considers to be nec-
essary to assure that—
(A) the lights, antennas, and associated
equipment located on the property conveyed,
which are active aids to navigation, shall con-
tinue to be operated and maintained by the
United States for as long as they are needed for
this purpose;
(B) the owner of the property may not
interfere or allow interference in any manner
with aids to navigation without express written
permission from the Commandant or Adminis-
trator, as appropriate;
(C) there is reserved to the United States
the right to relocate, replace, or add any aid to
navigation or make any changes to the property
conveyed as may be necessary for navigational
purposes;
(D) the United States shall have the right,
at any time, to enter the property without notice
for the purpose of operating, maintaining and
inspecting aids to navigation, and for the pur-
pose of enforcing compliance with subsection (b);
and
(E) the United States shall have an ease-
ment of access to and across the property for the
purpose of maintaining the aids to navigation in
use on the property.
(4) OBLIGATION LIMITATION.—The owner of the
property is not required to maintain any active aid
to navigation equipment on the property, except pri-
vate aids to navigation permitted under section 83 of
title 14, United States Code.
(5) MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTY.—The owner of
the property shall maintain the property in a proper,
substantial, and workmanlike manner, and in accord-
ance with any conditions established by the Com-
mandant or the Administrator, as appropriate, pur-
suant to the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.), and other applicable
laws.
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) AIDS TO NAVIGATION.—The term ‘‘aids to
navigation’’ means equipment used for navigation
purposes, including but not limited to, a light, an-
tenna, sound signal, electronic navigation equipment,
or other associated equipment which are operated or
maintained by the United States.
(2) OWNER.—The term ‘‘owner’’ means the per-
son identified in subsection (a)(1), and includes any
successor or assign of that person.
(3) DELTA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.—The
term ‘‘Delta County Historical Society’’ means the
Delta County Historical Society (a nonprofit cor-
poration established under the laws of the State of
Michigan, its parent organization, or subsidiary, if
any).
(4) DUNKIRK
HISTORICAL
LIGHTHOUSE
AND
VETERANS’ PARK MUSEUM.—The term ‘‘Dunkirk His-
torical Lighthouse and Veterans’ Park Museum’’
means Dunkirk Historical Lighthouse and Veterans’
Park Museum located in Dunkirk, New York, or, if
appropriate as determined by the Commandant, the
Chautauqua County Armed Forces Memorial Park
Corporation, New York.
(5) LAKE
COUNTY
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY.—The
term ‘‘Lake County Historical Society’’ means the
Lake County Historical Society (a nonprofit corpora-
tion established under the laws of the State of Min-
nesota), its parent organization or subsidiary, if any,
and its successors and assigns.
(d) NOTIFICATION.—Not less than one year prior to
reporting to the General Services Administration that a
lighthouse or light station eligible for listing under the Na-
tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470
et seq.) and under the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard is
excess to the needs of the Coast Guard, the Commandant
of the Coast Guard shall notify the State in which the light-
house or light station is located, (including the State His-
toric Preservation Officer, if any) the appropriate political
subdivision of that State, and any lighthouse, historic, or
maritime preservation organizations in that State, that
such property is excess to the needs of the Coast Guard.
(e) EXTENSION
OF PERIOD
FOR CONVEYANCE
OF
WHITLOCK’S
MILL
LIGHT.—Notwithstanding 
section
1002(a)(3) of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996,
the conveyance authorized by section 1002(a)(2)(AA) of that
Act may take place after the date required by section
1002(a)(3) of that Act but no later than December 31, 1998.
SEC. 417. CONVEYANCE OF COAST GUARD LORAN STATION
NANTUCKET.
(a) AUTHORITY TO CONVEY.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commandant of the
United States Coast Guard may convey, by an appro-
priate means of conveyance, all right, title, and inter-
est of the United States in and to approximately 29.4
acres of land, together with the improvements thereon,
at Coast Guard LORAN Station Nantucket, Nan-
tucket, Massachusetts, to the Town of Nantucket, Mas-
sachusetts (‘‘the Town’’) unless the Commandant, or
his delegate, in his sole discretion determines that the
conveyance would not provide a public benefit.
(2) IDENTIFICATION OF PROPERTY.—
(A) The Commandant may identify, define,
describe, and determine the real property to be
conveyed under this section.
(B) The Commandant shall determine the
exact acreage and legal description of the prop-
erty to be conveyed under this section by a sur-
vey satisfactory to the Commandant. The cost of
the survey shall be borne by the Town.
(b) TERMS OF CONVEYANCE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The conveyance of real prop-
erty under this section shall be made—
(A) without payment of consideration; and
(B) subject to the following terms and con-
ditions:
(i) The Town shall not, upon the prop-
erty conveyed, allow, conduct, or permit
any activity, or operate, allow, or permit
the operation of, any equipment or machin-
ery, that would interfere or cause inter-
ference, in any manner, with any aid to
navigation located upon property retained
by the United States at Coast Guard
LORAN Station Nantucket, without the ex-
press written permission from the Com-
mandant.
(ii) The Town shall maintain the real
property conveyed in a manner consistent
with the present and future use of any
property retained by the United States at
Coast Guard LORAN Station Nantucket as
a site for an aid to navigation.
(iii) Any other terms and conditions
the Commandant considers appropriate to
protect the interests of the United States,
including the reservation of easements or
other rights on behalf of the United States.
(2) REVERSIONARY INTEREST.—The conveyance
of real property pursuant to this section shall be sub-
ject to the condition that all right, title, and interest
in such property shall immediately revert to the
United States if—
(A) the property, or any part thereof, ceases
to be owned and used by the Town;
(B) the Town fails to maintain the property
conveyed in a manner consistent with the terms
and conditions in paragraph (1); or
(C) at least 30 days before such reversion,
the Commandant provides written notice to the
Town that the property conveyed is needed for
national security purposes.
SEC. 
418. 
CONVEYANCE 
OF 
DECOMMISSIONED 
COAST
GUARD VESSELS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commandant of the Coast
Guard may convey all right, title, and interest of the United
States in and to each of 2 decommissioned ‘‘White Class’’
133-foot Coast Guard vessels to Canvasback Mission, Inc.
(a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the State of Or-
egon; in this section referred to as ‘‘the recipient’’), without
consideration, if—
(1) the recipient agrees—
(A) to use the vessel for purposes of provid-
ing medical services to Central and South Pa-
cific island nations;
(B) not to use the vessel for commercial
transportation purposes except those incident to
the provisions of those medical services;
(C) to make the vessel available to the
United States Government if needed for use by
the Commandant in times of war or a national
emergency; and
(D) to hold the Government harmless for
any claims arising from exposure to hazardous
materials, 
including 
asbestos 
and 
poly-
chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), after conveyance
of the vessel, except for claims arising from the
use by the Government under paragraph (1)(C);
(2) the recipient has funds available that will be
committed to operate and maintain each vessel con-
veyed in good working condition, in the form of cash,
liquid assets, or a written loan commitment, and in
the amount of at least $400,000 per vessel; and
(3) the recipient agrees to any other conditions
the Commandant considers appropriate.
(b) MAINTENANCE
AND DELIVERY
OF VESSELS.—
Prior to conveyance of a vessel under this section, the Com-
mandant shall, to the extent practical, and subject to other
Coast Guard mission requirements, make every effort to
maintain the integrity of the vessel and its equipment until
the time of delivery. If a conveyance is made under this
section, the Commandant shall deliver the vessel at the place
where the vessel is located, in its present condition, and
without cost to the Government. The conveyance of the vessel
under this section shall not be considered a distribution in
commerce for purposes of section 6(e) of Public Law 94-
469 (15 U.S.C. 2605(e)).
(c) OTHER EXCESS EQUIPMENT.—The Commandant
may convey to the recipient of a vessel under this section
any excess equipment or parts from other decommissioned
Coast Guard vessels for use to enhance the vessel’s operabil-
ity and function as a medical services vessel in Central and
South Pacific Islands.
SEC. 419. AMENDMENT TO CONVEYANCE OF VESSEL S/S
RED OAK VICTORY.
Section 1008(d)(1) of the Coast Guard Authorization
Act of 1996 is amended by striking ‘‘2 years’’ and inserting
‘‘3 years’’.
SEC. 420. TRANSFER OF OCRACOKE LIGHT STATION TO SEC-
RETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
The Administrator of the General Services Adminis-
tration shall transfer administrative jurisdiction over the
Federal property consisting of approximately 2 acres,
known as the Ocracoke Light Station, to the Secretary of
the Interior, subject to such reservations, terms, and condi-
tions as may be necessary for Coast Guard purposes. All
property so transferred shall be included in and adminis-
tered as part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
SEC. 421. VESSEL DOCUMENTATION CLARIFICATION.
Section 12102(a)(4) of title 46, United States Code,
and section 2(a) of the Shipping Act, 1916 (46 U.S.C. App.
802(a)) are each amended by—
(1) striking ‘‘president or other’’; and
(2) inserting a comma and ‘‘by whatever title,’’
after ‘‘chief executive officer’’.
SEC. 422. DREDGE CLARIFICATION.
Section 5209(b) of the Oceans Act of 1992 (46 U.S.C.
2101 note) is amended by adding at the end thereof the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(3) A vessel—
‘‘(A) configured, outfitted, and operated pri-
marily for dredging operations; and
‘‘(B) engaged in dredging operations which
transfers fuel to other vessels engaged in the same
dredging operations without charge.’’.
SEC. 423. DOUBLE HULL ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS STUDY.
Section 4115(e) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (46
U.S. Code 3703a note) is amended by adding at the end
thereof the following:
‘‘(3)(A) The Secretary of Transportation shall
coordinate with the Marine Board of the National Re-
search Council to conduct the necessary research and
development of a rationally based equivalency assess-
ment approach, which accounts for the overall envi-
ronmental performance of alternative tank vessel de-
signs. Notwithstanding the Coast Guard opinion of
the application of sections 101 and 311 of the Clean
Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 and 1321), the intent of
this study is to establish an equivalency evaluation
procedure that maintains a high standard of environ-
mental protection, while encouraging innovative ship
design. The study shall include:
‘‘(i) development of a generalized cost spill
data base, which includes all relevant costs such
as clean-up costs and environmental impact
costs as a function of spill size;
‘‘(ii) refinement of the probability density
functions used to establish the extent of vessel
damage, based on the latest available historical
damage statistics, and current research on the
crash worthiness of tank vessel structures;
‘‘(iii) development of a rationally based ap-
proach for calculating an environmental index,
to assess overall outflow performance due to colli-
sions and groundings; and
‘‘(iv) application of the proposed index to
double hull tank vessels and alternative designs
currently under consideration.
‘‘(B) A Marine Board committee shall be estab-
lished not later that 2 months after the date of enact-
ment of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998.
The Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate and the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure in the House of Representa-
tives a report on the results of the study not later
than 12 months after the date of enactment of the
Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998.
‘‘(C) Of the amounts authorized by section
1012(a)(5)(A) of this Act, $500,000 is authorized to
carry out the activities under subparagraphs (A) and
(B) of this paragraph.’’.
SEC. 424. VESSEL SHARING AGREEMENTS.
(a) Section 5 of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C.
App. 1704) is amended by adding at the end thereof the
following:
‘‘(g) VESSEL SHARING AGREEMENTS.—An ocean com-
mon carrier that is the owner, operator, or bareboat, time,
or slot charterer of a United States-flag liner vessel docu-
mented pursuant to sections 12102(a) or (d) of title 46,
United States Code, is authorized to agree with an ocean
common carrier that is not the owner, operator or bareboat
charterer for at least one year of United States-flag liner
vessels which are eligible to be included in the Maritime
Security Fleet Program and are enrolled in an Emergency
Preparedness Program pursuant to subtitle B of title VI
of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1187
et seq.), to which it charters or subcharters the United
States-flag vessel or space on the United States-flag vessel
that such charterer or subcharterer may not use or make
available space on the vessel for the carriage of cargo re-
served by law for United States-flag vessels.’’.
(b) Section 10(c)(6) of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46
U.S.C. App. 1709(c)(6)) is amended by inserting ‘‘author-
ized by section 5(g) of this Act, or as’’ before ‘‘otherwise’’.
(c) Nothing in this section shall affect or in any way
diminish the authority or effectiveness of orders issued by
the Maritime Administration pursuant to sections 9 and
41 of the Shipping Act, 1916 (46 U.S.C. App. 808 and 839).
(d) Section 3(6)(B) of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46
U.S.C. App. 1702(6)(B)) is amended by striking ‘‘parcel-
tanker.’’ and inserting ‘‘parcel-tanker or by vessel when pri-
marily engaged in the carriage of perishable agricultural
commodities (i) if the common carrier and the owner of
those commodities are wholly-owned, directly or indirectly,
by a person primarily engaged in the marketing and dis-
tribution of those commodities and (ii) only with respect
to the carriage of those commodities.’’.
SEC. 425. REPORTS.
(a) SWATH TECHNOLOGY.—The Commandant of the
Coast Guard shall, within 18 months after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, report to the Senate Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation and the House Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure on the appli-
cability of Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH)
technology, including concepts developed by the United
States Office of Naval Research, to the design of Coast
Guard vessels.
(b) MARINE GUIDANCE SYSTEMS.—The Secretary of
Transportation shall, within 12 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, evaluate and report to the Con-
gress on the suitability of marine sector laser lighting, cold
cathode lighting, and ultraviolet enhanced vision tech-
nologies for use in guiding marine vessels and traffic.
SEC. 426. REPORT ON TONNAGE CALCULATION METHODOL-
OGY.
The Administrator of the Panama Canal Commission
shall, within 90 days of the date of enactment of this Act,
submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a re-
port detailing the methodology employed in the calculation
of the charge of tolls for the carriage of on-deck containers
and the justification thereof.
SEC. 427. AUTHORITY TO CONVEY NATIONAL DEFENSE RE-
SERVE FLEET VESSELS.
(a) AUTHORITY TO CONVEY.—Notwithstanding any
other law, the Secretary of Transportation (referred to in
this section as ‘‘the Secretary’’) may convey all right, title,
and interest of the Federal Government in and to either
or both of the vessels S.S. AMERICAN VICTORY (United
States official number 248005) and S.S. HATTIESBURG
VICTORY (United States official number 248651) to The
Victory Ship, Inc., located in Tampa, Florida (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘‘recipient’’), and the recipient may
use each vessel conveyed only as a memorial to the Victory
class of ships.
(b) TERMS OF CONVEYANCE.—
(1) DELIVERY OF VESSEL.—In carrying out sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall deliver a vessel—
(A) at the place where the vessel is located
on the date of conveyance;
(B) in its condition on that date; and
(C) at no cost to the Federal Government.
(2) REQUIRED CONDITIONS.—The Secretary may
not convey a vessel under this section unless—
(A) the recipient agrees to hold the Govern-
ment harmless for any claims arising from expo-
sure to hazardous material, including asbestos
and polychlorinated biphenyls, after conveyance
of the vessel, except for claims arising before the
date of the conveyance or from use of the vessel
by the Government after that date; and
(B) the recipient has available, for use to
restore the vessel, in the form of cash, liquid as-
sets, or a written loan commitment, financial re-
sources of at least $100,000.
(3) ADDITIONAL TERMS.—The Secretary may re-
quire such additional terms in connection with the
conveyance authorized by this section as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(c) OTHER UNNEEDED EQUIPMENT.—The Secretary
may convey to the recipient of any vessel conveyed under
this section any unneeded equipment from other vessels in
the National Defense Reserve Fleet, for use to restore the
vessel conveyed under this section to museum quality.
SEC. 428. AUTHORITY TO CONVEY NATIONAL DEFENSE RE-
SERVE FLEET VESSEL, JOHN HENRY.
(a) AUTHORITY TO CONVEY.—Notwithstanding any
other law, the Secretary of Transportation (in this section
referred to as ‘‘the Secretary’’) may convey all right, title,
and interest of the United States Government in and to the
vessel JOHN HENRY (United States official number
599294) to a purchaser for use in humanitarian relief ef-
forts, including the provision of water and humanitarian
goods to developing nations.
(b) TERMS OF CONVEYANCE.—
(1) DELIVERY OF VESSEL.—In carrying out sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall deliver the vessel—
(A) at the place where the vessel is located
on the date of conveyance;
(B) in its condition on that date;
(C) at no cost to the United States Govern-
ment; and
(D) only after the vessel has been redesig-
nated as not militarily useful.
(2) REQUIRED CONDITIONS.—The Secretary may
not convey a vessel under this section unless—
(A) competitive procedures are used for
sales under this section;
(B) the vessel is sold for not less than the
fair market value of the vessel in the United
States, as determined by the Secretary of Trans-
portation;
(C) the recipient agrees that the vessel shall
not be used for commercial transportation pur-
poses or for the carriage of cargoes reserved to
United States flag commercial vessels under sec-
tion 901(b) and 901f of the Merchant Marine
Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1241(b) and 1241f);
(D) the recipient agrees to hold the Govern-
ment harmless for any claims arising from expo-
sure to hazardous material, including asbestos
and polychlorinated biphenyls, after the convey-
ance of the vessel, except for claims arising before
the date of the conveyance or from use of the ves-
sel by the Government after that date; and
(E) the recipient provides sufficient evi-
dence to the Secretary that it has financial re-
sources in the form of cash, liquid assets, or a
written loan commitment of at least $100,000.
(F) the recipient agrees to make the vessel
available to the Government if the Secretary re-
quires use of the vessel by the Government for
war or national emergency.
(G) the recipient agrees to document the
vessel under chapter 121 of title 46, United
States Code.
(3) ADDITIONAL TERMS.—The Secretary may re-
quire such additional terms in connection with the
conveyance authorized by this section as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(c) PROCEEDS.—Any amounts received by the United
States as proceeds from the sale of the M/V JOHN HENRY
shall be deposited in the Vessel Operations Revolving Fund
established by the Act of June 2, 1951 (chapter 121; 46
U.S.C. App. 1241a) and shall be available and expended
in accordance with section 6(a) of the National Maritime
Heritage Act (16 U.S.C. App. 5405(a)).
SEC. 429. APPLICABILITY OF AUTHORITY TO RELEASE RE-
STRICTIONS AND ENCUMBRANCES.
Section 315(c)(1) of the Federal Maritime Commission
Authorization Act of 1990 (Public Law 101–595; 104 Stat.
2988) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘3 contiguous tracts’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘4 tracts’’; and
(2) by striking ‘‘Tract A’’ and all that follows
through the end of the paragraph and inserting the
following:
‘‘Tract 1—Commencing at a point N45° 28′ 31″ E 198.3 feet from point ‘A’ as
shown on plat of survey of ‘Boundary Agreement of CAFB’ by
D.W. Jessen and Associates, Civil Engineers, Lake Charles, Lou-
isiana, dated August 7, 1973, and filed in Plat Book 23, at page
20, Records of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana; thence S44° 29′ 09″
E 220 feet; thence N45° 28′ 31″ E 50 feet; thence N44° 29′ 09″
W 220 feet; thence S45° 28′ 31″ W 50 feet to the point of com-
mencement and containing 11,000 square feet (0.2525 acres).
‘‘Tract 2—Commencing at a point N45° 28′ 31″ E 198.3 feet from point ‘A’ as
shown on plat of survey of ‘Boundary Agreement of CAFB’ by
D.W. Jessen and Associates, Civil Engineers, Lake Charles, Lou-
isiana, dated August 7, 1973, and filed in Plat Book 23, at page
20, Records of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana; thence S44° 29′ 09″
E 169.3 feet; thence S45° 28′ 31″ W 75 feet; (Deed Call S45°
30′ 51″ W 75 feet), thence N44° 29′ 09″ W 169.3 feet; thence
N45° 28′ 31″ E 75 feet to the point of commencement and con-
taining 12,697 square feet (0.2915 acres).
‘‘Tract 3—Commencing at a point N45° 28′ 31″ E 248.3 feet from point ‘A’ as
shown on plat of survey of ‘Boundary Agreement of CAFB’ by
D.W. Jessen and Associates, Civil Engineers, Lake Charles, Lou-
isiana, dated August 7, 1973, and filed in Plat Book 23, at page
20, Records of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana; thence S44° 29′ 09″
E 220 feet; thence N45° 28′ 31″ E 50 feet; thence N44° 29′ 09″
W 220 feet; thence S45° 28′ 31″ W 50 feet to the point of com-
mencement and containing 11,000 square feet (0.2525 acres).
‘‘Tract 4—Commencing at a point N45° 28′ 31″ E 123.3 feet and S44° 29′ 09″
E 169.3 feet from point ‘A’ as shown on plat of survey of
‘Boundary Agreement of CAFB’ by D.W. Jessen and Associates,
Civil Engineers, Lake Charles, Louisiana, dated August 7, 1973,
and filed in Plat Book 23, at page 20, Records of Calcasieu Par-
ish, Louisiana; thence S44° 29′ 09″ E 50.7 feet; thence N45° 28′
31″ E 75 feet; thence N44° 29′ 09″ W 50.7 feet; thence S45° 28′
31″ W 75 feet (Deed Call S45° 30′ 51″ W 75 feet) to the point
of commencement and containing 3,802 square feet (0.0873
acres).
‘‘Composite Description—A tract of land lying in section 2, Township 10 South—
Range 8 West, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, and being mone
[sic] particularly described as follows: Begin at a point N45° 28′
31″ E 123.3 feet from point ‘A’ as shown on plat of survey of
‘Boundary Agreement of CAFB’ by D.W. Jessen and Associates,
Civil Engineers, Lake Charles, Louisiana, dated August 7, 1973,
and filed in Plat Book 23, at page 20, Records of Calcasieu Par-
ish, Louisiana; thence N45° 28′ 31″ E 175.0 feet; thence S44°
29′ 09″ E 220.0 feet; thence S45° 28′ 31″ W 175.0 feet; thence
N44° 29′ 09″ W 220.0 feet to the point of beginning, containing
0.8035 acres.’’.
SEC. 430. BARGE APL–60.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 27 of the
Merchant Marine Act, 1920 (46 U.S.C. App. 883), section
8 of the Act of June 19, 1886 (46 U.S.C. App. 289), and
section 12106 of title 46, United States Code, the Secretary
may issue a certificate of documentation with appropriate
endorsement for employment in the coastwise trade for the
barge APL–60 (United States official number 376857).
(b) LIMITATIONS.—The vessel described in subsection
(a) may be employed in the coastwise trade only for the
purpose of participating in the ship disposal initiative ini-
tially funded by the Department of Defense Appropriations
Act, 1999, for the duration of that initiative.
(c) TERMINATION.—A coastwise endorsement issued
under subsection (a) shall terminate on the earlier of—
(1) the completion of the final coastwise trade
voyage associated with the ship disposal initiative de-
scribed in subsection (b); or
(2) the sale or transfer of the vessel described in
subsection (a) to an owner other than the owner of the
vessel as of October 1, 1998.
SEC. 431. VESSEL FINANCING FLEXIBILITY.
The Secretary of Transportation may guarantee obli-
gations under section 1103 of the Merchant Marine Act,
1936 (46 App. U.S.C.1273), for the vessels planned for con-
struction to be purchased by the American West Steamboat
Company and to be named QUEEN OF THE YUKON,
which will operate on the Yukon and Tanana Rivers, and
EMPRESS OF THE NORTH, which will operate in Alas-
ka, Washington, and Oregon. Notwithstanding sections 509,
1103(c)), and 1104A(b) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936
(46 App. U.S.C. 1159, 1273(c), and 1274(b)), the Secretary
of Transportation may guarantee obligations of 871⁄2 per-
cent of the purchase price of such vessels. Each obligation
guaranteed under this section may have a maturity date
of 25 years from the date of delivery of the vessel concerned.
SEC. 432. HYDROGRAPHIC FUNCTIONS.
(a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsections (b) and (c) shall
take effect immediately after the later of—
(1) the enactment of the Hydrographic Services
Improvement Act of 1998; or
(2) the enactment of this Act.
of fiscal years 1999 through 2001. Of these amounts
$4,500,000 is authorized for each fiscal year to imple-
ment and operate a national quality control system
for real-time tide and current and maintain the na-
tional tide network, and $7,000,000 is authorized for
each fiscal year to design and install real-time tide
and current data measurement systems under section
303(b)(4).’’.
(c) REPEAL
OF REPORT REQUIREMENTS.—Section
305 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998
is amended by striking subsections (a) and (d).
TITLE 
V—ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCESS 
FOR 
JONES 
ACT
WAIVERS
SEC. 501. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) current coastwise trade laws provide no ad-
ministrative authority to waive the United-States-
built requirement of those laws for the limited car-
riage of passengers for hire on vessels built or rebuilt
outside the United States;
(2) requests for such waivers require the enact-
ment of legislation by the Congress;
(3) each Congress routinely approves numerous
such requests for waiver and rarely rejects any such
request; and
(4) the review and approval of such waiver re-
quests is a ministerial function which properly should
be executed by an administrative agency with appro-
priate expertise.
SEC. 502. ADMINISTRATIVE WAIVER OF COASTWISE TRADE
LAWS.
Notwithstanding sections 12106 and 12108 of title 46,
United States Code, section 8 of the Act of June 19, 1886
(46 U.S.C. App. 289), and section 27 of the Merchant Ma-
rine Act, 1920 (46 U.S.C. App. 883), the Secretary of
Transportation may issue a certificate of documentation
with appropriate endorsement for employment in the coast-
wise trade as a small passenger vessel or an uninspected
passenger vessel for an eligible vessel authorized to carry
no more than 12 passengers for hire if the Secretary, after
notice and an opportunity for public comment, determines
that the employment of the vessel in the coastwise trade will
not adversely affect—
(1) United States vessel builders; or
(2) the coastwise trade business of any person
who employs vessels built in the United States in that
business.
SEC. 503. REVOCATION.
The Secretary may revoke an endorsement issued
under section 502, after notice and an opportunity for pub-
lic comment, if the Secretary determines that the employ-
ment of the vessel in the coastwise trade has substantially
changed since the issuance of the endorsement, and—
(1) the vessel is employed other than as a small
passenger vessel or an uninspected passenger vessel; or
(2) the employment of the vessel adversely af-
fects—
(A) United States vessel builders; or
(B) the coastwise trade business of any per-
son who employs vessels built in the United
States.
SEC. 504. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Transportation.
(2) ELIGIBLE VESSEL.—The term ‘‘eligible ves-
sel’’ means a vessel that—
(A) was not built in the United States and
is at least 3 years of age; or
(B) if rebuilt, was rebuilt outside the
United States at least 3 years before the certifi-
cation requested under section 502, if granted,
would take effect.
(3) SMALL
PASSENGER
VESSEL; UNINSPECTED
PASSENGER
VESSEL; PASSENGER
FOR
HIRE.—The
terms ‘‘small passenger vessel’’, ‘‘uninspected pas-
senger vessel’’, and ‘‘passenger for hire’’ have the
meaning given such terms by section 2101 of title 46,
United States Code.
SEC. 505. SUNSET.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), this title
(other than this section) shall have no force or effect on or
after September 30, 2002.
(b) ENDORSEMENTS CONTINUE.—Any certificate or
endorsement issued under section 502 before the date re-
ferred to in subsection (a) of this section shall continue in
effect until otherwise invalidated or revoked under chapter
121 of title 46, United States Code.
TITLE VI—HARMFUL ALGAL
BLOOMS AND HYPOXIA
SEC. 601. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Harmful Algal Bloom
and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998’’.
SEC. 602. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) the recent outbreak of the harmful microbe
Pfiesteria piscicida in the coastal waters of the
United States is one example of potentially harmful
algal blooms composed of naturally occurring species
that reproduce explosively and that are increasing in
frequency and intensity in the Nation’s coastal wa-
ters;
(2) other recent occurrences of harmful algal
blooms include red tides in the Gulf of Mexico and the
Southeast; brown tides in New York and Texas;
ciguatera fish poisoning in Hawaii, Florida, Puerto
Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands; and shell-
fish poisonings in the Gulf of Maine, the Pacific
Northwest, and the Gulf of Alaska;
(3) in certain cases, harmful algal blooms have
resulted in fish kills, the deaths of numerous endan-
gered West Indian manatees, beach and shellfish bed
closures, threats to public health and safety, and con-
cern among the public about the safety of seafood;
(4) according to some scientists, the factors caus-
ing or contributing to harmful algal blooms may in-
clude excessive nutrients in coastal waters, other
forms of pollution, the transfer of harmful species
through ship ballast water, and ocean currents;
(5) harmful algal blooms may have been respon-
sible for an estimated $1,000,000,000 in economic
losses during the past decade;
(6) harmful algal blooms and blooms of non-toxic
algal species may lead to other damaging marine con-
ditions such as hypoxia (reduced oxygen concentra-
tions), which are harmful or fatal to fish, shellfish,
and benthic organisms;
(7) according to the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration in the Department of Com-
merce, 53 percent of United States estuaries experi-
ence hypoxia for at least part of the year and a 7,000
square mile area in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana
and Texas suffers from hypoxia;
(8) according to some scientists, a factor believed
to cause hypoxia is excessive nutrient loading into
coastal waters;
(9) there is a need to identify more workable and
effective actions to reduce nutrient loadings to coastal
waters;
(10) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration, through its ongoing research, education,
grant, and coastal resource management programs,
possesses a full range of capabilities necessary to sup-
port a near and long-term comprehensive effort to
prevent, reduce, and control harmful algal blooms and
hypoxia;