that peaceful relations are maintained in the Arctic 
region. 
(4) It is further in the interests of the United 
States to see that a system of international coopera-
tion is established to support reliable shipping, with 
methods for joint investment in providing mariners 
aids to navigation, ports of refuge, vessel-to-shore 
communication, hydrographic mapping, and search 
and rescue capability. 
(5) For nearly 500 years, mariners and sea- 
faring nations have sought national and global bene-
fits from sea routes in the Arctic similar to those 
provided now by the Panama and Suez canals, but 
as those benefits may finally be realized, expanded 
shipping will present risks to residents of the Arctic, 
and coordinated shipping regulations are needed to 
protect United States interests even from shipping 
that may occur in the Arctic region outside United 
States territorial waters. 
(6) Proven models for international cooperation 
in management of regional waterways exist, includ-
ing United States joint administration of the St. 
Lawrence Seaway with Canada, and existing co-
operation between the Coast Guard and its Russian 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:21 Jun 13, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2865.IH
H2865
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
Federation counterpart for fisheries enforcement in 
the Bering Sea and North Pacific regions. 
(7) The United States has continuing research, 
security, environmental, and commercial interests in 
the Arctic region that rely on the availability of ice-
breaker platforms of the Coast Guard. The Polar 
Class icebreakers commissioned in the 1970s are in 
need of replacement. 
(8) Sovereign interests of the United States in 
the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea regions may grow 
with submission of a United States claim for an ex-
tended continental shelf. 
(9) Building new icebreakers, mustering inter-
national plans for aids to navigation and other facili-
ties, and establishing coordinated shipping regula-
tions and oil spill prevention and response capability 
through international cooperation, including the ap-
proval of the International Maritime Organization, 
requires long lead times. Beginning those efforts 
now, with the completion of an Arctic Marine Ship-
ping Assessment by the eight-nation Arctic Council, 
is essential to protect United States interests given 
the extensive current use of the Arctic Ocean and 
adjacent seas by vessels of many nations. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:21 Jun 13, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2865.IH
H2865
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to ensure 
safe, secure, and reliable maritime shipping in the Arctic 
including the availability of aids to navigation, vessel es-
corts, spill response capability, and maritime search and 
rescue in the Arctic. 
SEC. 3. INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION AGREE-
MENTS. 
To carry out the purpose of this Act, the Secretary 
of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating 
shall work through the International Maritime Organiza-
tion to establish agreements to promote coordinated action 
among the United States, Russia, Canada, Iceland, Nor-
way, and Denmark and other seafaring and Arctic nations 
to ensure, in the Arctic— 
(1) placement and maintenance of aids to navi-
gation; 
(2) appropriate icebreaking escort, tug, and sal-
vage capabilities; 
(3) oil spill prevention and response capability; 
(4) maritime domain awareness, including long- 
range vessel tracking; and 
(5) search and rescue. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:21 Jun 13, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2865.IH
H2865
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
SEC. 4. COORDINATION BY COMMITTEE ON THE MARITIME 
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. 
The Committee on the Maritime Transportation Sys-
tem established under a directive of the President in the 
Ocean Action Plan, issued December 17, 2004, shall co-
ordinate the establishment of domestic transportation poli-
cies in the Arctic necessary to carry out the purpose of 
the Act. 
SEC. 5. AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS. 
The Secretary of the department in which the Coast 
Guard is operating may, subject to the availability of ap-
propriations, enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, 
or other agreements with, or make grants to individuals 
and governments to carry out the purpose of this Act or 
any agreements established under section 3. 
SEC. 6. ICEBREAKING. 
The Secretary of the department in which the Coast 
Guard is operating shall promote safe maritime navigation 
by means of icebreaking where needed to assure the rea-
sonable demands of commerce. 
SEC. 7. DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS. 
The Secretary of Transportation may enter into coop-
erative agreements, contracts, or other agreements with, 
or make grants to, individuals to conduct demonstration 
projects to reduce emissions or discharges from vessels op-
erating in the Arctic. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:21 Jun 13, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2865.IH
H2865
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated— 
(1) to the Secretary of the department in which 
the Coast Guard is operating— 
(A) $750,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2011 and 2012 for the construction of two 
polar capable icebreakers; 
(B) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2011 through 2015 for seasonal operations in 
the Arctic; and 
(C) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2012 through 2015 to carry out agreements es-
tablished under section 5; and 
(2) 
to 
the 
Secretary 
of 
Transportation 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 
2015 to conduct demonstration projects under sec-
tion 7. 
SEC. 9. ARCTIC DEFINITION. 
In this Act the term ‘‘Arctic’’ has the same meaning 
as in section 112 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act 
of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111). 
Æ 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
04:21 Jun 13, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2865.IH
H2865
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS