I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7491 
To establish a task force on waterway freight diversification and economic 
development in the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela River corridors, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 29, 2024 
Mr. DELUZIO (for himself and Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a task force on waterway freight diversification 
and economic development in the Ohio, Allegheny, and 
Monongahela River corridors, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Waterway Activation 
that Targets Economic Revitalization, Welcomes Activity, 
and Yields Success Act’’ or the ‘‘WATERWAYS Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) inland waterways provide a valuable re-
source for moving agricultural, energy, and other 
commodities to market in the United States; 
(2) further utilization of the waterways would 
benefit the United States because barges are among 
the safest and most environmentally responsible 
ways to transport freight, with barge transport being 
more fuel efficient and having lower emissions than 
other methods, while also resulting in fewer injuries 
per worker than rail or truck transport; 
(3) given existing issues with supply chains, it 
is critical that the Federal Government work to ex-
pand and promote inland waterway access, especially 
in regions that are coal communities or have suf-
fered from deindustrialization; and 
(4) it is of critical importance that the invest-
ments made possible by the Infrastructure Invest-
ment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117–58; 135 Stat. 
429), Public Law 117–169 (commonly known as the 
‘‘Inflation Reduction Act of 2022’’) (136 Stat. 
1818), and other recent legislation, such as Public 
Law 117–167 (commonly known as the ‘‘CHIPS 
and Science Act of 2022’’) (136 Stat. 1366), are 
made with an eye toward utilizing the inland water-
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ways network to maximize the impact of those in-
vestments. 
SEC. 3. TASK FORCE ON WATERWAY FREIGHT DIVERSIFICA-
TION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED
STATE.—The term ‘‘covered 
State’’ means each of the States of Pennsylvania, 
West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, and 
Tennessee. 
(2) INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.—The term 
‘‘Interagency Working Group’’ means the Inter-
agency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant 
Communities and Economic Revitalization estab-
lished by section 218 of Executive Order 14008 (86 
Fed. Reg. 7628; relating to ‘‘Tackling the Climate 
Crisis at Home and Abroad’’). 
(3) TASK
FORCE.—The term ‘‘task force’’ 
means the task force established under subsection 
(b). 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Interagency Working 
Group shall establish a task force on waterway freight di-
versification and economic development in the Ohio, Alle-
gheny, and Monongahela River corridors. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The task force shall be com-
posed of— 
(A) from the Federal Government, rep-
resentatives of— 
(i) the Department of Transportation; 
(ii) the Corps of Engineers; 
(iii) the Department of Energy; 
(iv) the Department of Commerce; 
(v) the Department of Agriculture; 
(vi) the Economic Development Ad-
ministration; 
(vii) the Maritime Administration; 
(viii) the Department of Labor; 
(ix) the Appalachian Regional Com-
mission; 
(x) the Coast Guard; 
(xi) the Environmental Protection 
Agency; 
(xii) the Department of the Interior; 
and 
(xiii) any other Federal agency or de-
partment the Co-Chairs of the Interagency 
Working Group determine to be appro-
priate; 
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(B) at the discretion of a covered State, 
representatives of relevant agencies of the cov-
ered State; and 
(C) local stakeholders involved in economic 
development, transportation, community devel-
opment, and water resource development and 
conservation along the Ohio, Allegheny, and 
Monongahela River corridors, such as metro-
politan and rural planning organizations, eco-
nomic development districts, units of local gov-
ernment, and community-based organizations. 
(2) APPOINTMENT.—The Co-Chairs of the 
Interagency Working Group shall appoint the mem-
bers of the task force under paragraph (1). 
(d) DUTIES.—The task force shall— 
(1) convene on an ad hoc basis to study, and 
develop recommendations to improve, waterway 
freight use and economic development in the Ohio, 
Allegheny, and Monongahela River corridors; 
(2) facilitate investment in the Ohio, Allegheny, 
and Monongahela River corridors by identifying crit-
ical projects and connecting those projects with Fed-
eral, State, and local funding opportunities; 
(3) coordinate and activate stakeholders around 
waterway development; and 
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(4) submit to the Interagency Working Group 
an annual report that describes— 
(A) the recommendations of the task force 
under paragraph (1) and the progress in imple-
menting those recommendations; and 
(B) the activities of the task force under 
paragraphs (2) and (3). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2034, 
to remain available until expended. 
SEC. 4. SAVINGS PROVISION. 
Nothing in this Act— 
(1) satisfies any requirement for government-to- 
government consultation with an Indian Tribe; or 
(2) affects or modifies a treaty or any other 
right of an Indian Tribe. 
Æ 
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