I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1630
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to study and report on existing
ferry operations and potential ferry routes in the United States, to
authorize the Secretary to provide financial assistance for the develop-
ment of ferry operations, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 15, 1997
Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. DICKS, and Mr. JONES) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to study and re-
port on existing ferry operations and potential ferry
routes in the United States, to authorize the Secretary
to provide financial assistance for the development of
ferry operations, 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 ‘‘Ferry Intermodal
Transportation Act’’.
SEC. 2. FERRIES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) Today’s ferries are a critical transportation
component in many communities, providing vital
transportation services for passengers, automobiles,
buses, and trucks in locations where practical alter-
natives are insufficient or do not exist.
(2) Ferries provide alternatives to other trans-
port modes that are facing severe capacity con-
straints.
(3) Ferries do not require the construction of
costly infrastructure such as roads, bridges, or tun-
nels, thereby reducing environmental impacts, cap-
ital investment, and the time required to begin oper-
ation.
(4) Ferries reduce single-occupancy vehicle traf-
fic, thereby reducing traffic congestion, air pollution,
and energy use.
(5) Ferries are flexible because vessels and
some loading facilities may be shifted to new loca-
tions to respond to changes in demand or in times
of national emergency.
(6) Joint efforts by private operators and local
governments already have resulted in highly innova-
tive and successful ferry operations in many urban
areas.
(7) The Department of Transportation strategic
plan for the National Transportation System urges
emphasis on those modes of transportation that pro-
mote those interests ‘‘of critical importance to our
country, including clean air, reducing energy con-
sumption and safe, comfortable, and cost effective
transportation’’ goals that ferry transportation em-
bodies.
(8) Ferry transportation is an important and
unique component of the national transportation sys-
tem which should be encouraged and supported in
those communities for which it is applicable.
(b) STUDY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall conduct a study of ferry transportation
in the United States and its possessions—
(A) to identify existing ferry operations, in-
cluding—
(i) the locations and routes served;
(ii) the name, the United States offi-
cial number, and a description of each ves-
sel operated as a ferry;
(iii) the source and amount, if any, of
funds derived from Federal, State, or local
government sources supporting ferry oper-
ations; and
(iv) the impact of ferry transportation
on local and regional economies; and
(B) to identify potential domestic ferry
routes in the United States and its possessions
and to develop information on those routes, in-
cluding—
(i) locations and routes that might be
served;
(ii) estimates of capacity required;
(iii) estimates of capital costs of devel-
oping those routes;
(iv) estimates of annual operating
costs for these routes;
(v) estimates of the economic impact
of these routes on local and regional econo-
mies; and
(vi) the potential for use of high speed
ferry services.
(2) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit a re-
port on the results of the study required under sub-
section (a) to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation of the Senate.
(c) MEETING WITH STATE METROPOLITAN PLAN-
NING ORGANIZATIONS.—After submitting the report re-
quired by subsection (b), the Secretary of Transportation
shall—
(1) meet with the chief metropolitan planning
organization officer of each metropolitan area in
which a ferry service is operated or for which a po-
tential ferry route is identified in the report; and
(2) in that meeting discuss the results of the
study under subsection (a) and availability of re-
sources, both Federal and State, for providing ferry
services.
(d) FUNDING.—Section 1064(c) of the Intermodal
Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (23 U.S.C.
129 note) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION.—There shall be available, out
of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit
Account), to the Secretary for obligation at the discretion
of the Secretary, $18,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 in carrying out this
section. Such sums shall remain available until ex-
pended.’’.
(e) FERRY
OPERATING
AND
LEASING
AMEND-
MENTS.—
(1) FACILITATION
OF
PRIVATE
OWNERSHIP
AND LEASING.—Section 129(c) of title 23, United
States Code, is amended—
(A) in paragraph (3) by striking ‘‘owned.’’
and inserting ‘‘owned or operated.’’; and
(B) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘sold,
leased, or’’ and inserting ‘‘sold or’’.
(2) DOCUMENTATION; CITIZENSHIP
OF
MEM-
BERS OF OWNER ENTITIES.—Section 12102(d)(1) of
title 46, United States Code, is amended by insert-
ing ‘‘or the issuance of any certificate of documenta-
tion for a small passenger vessel, a passenger vessel,
or a ferry,’’ after ‘‘endorsement,’’.
(f) LOAN GUARANTEES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation may guarantee, or make a commitment to
guarantee, the payment of the principal of, and the
interest on, an obligation for ferry operations in the
transportation of passengers or passengers and vehi-
cles in the United States and its possessions. A
guarantee or commitment under this subsection shall
be made—
(A) under standards and requirements
equivalent to those under title XI of the Mer-
chant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1271
et seq.); and
(B) subject to such terms as the Secretary
may require.
(2) SIMPLIFIED
PROCESS.—A guarantee or
commitment made under this subsection is subject
to all laws, requirements, and procedures applicable
to guarantees or commitments made under title XI
of that Act, except the Secretary shall by rule pro-
vide a simplified application and compliance process
for guarantees and commitments made under this
subsection.
(3) AUTHORIZATION.—There is authorized to
be appropriated to carry out this subsection
$7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1998, 1999,
2000, 2001, and 2002.
Æ