Inland Navigation Improvement Act

Summary

Inland Navigation Improvement Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of the Corps of Engineers, to replace locks and dam 26, Mississippi River, Alton, Illinois, in accordance with the project report dated March 15, 1976. Authorizes the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of the Corps of Engineers, to replace as a part of such project, terrestrial wildlife habitat inundated by project construction, and to manage such lands for wildlife mitigation purposes. Authorizes the Secretary to construct a project-related recreation development near Ellis Island, Missouri, on a cost-sharing basis with Missouri. Directs that such recreation area be administered in accordance with the Federal Water Project Recreation Act. Establishes the Mississippi River navigation channel above Alton, Illinois, at nine feet. Prohibits the Secretary or other Federal officials from studying the feasibility of deepening the navigation channels in the Minnesota River, Minnesota; Black River, Wisconsin; Saint Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin; and the Mississippi River north of its juncture with the Illinois River, Illinois. Directs the Secretary to appoint a board to study the alternative of rehabilitating the present lock and dam structure at Alton, Illinois. Permits the Secretary to proceed with new construction if such board finds no merit in the rehabilitation alternative. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress if such board finds rehabilitation feasible. Permits the Secretary, in the latter instance, to proceed with the new construction, if Congress fails to act within 120 days. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish, after hearings and notice in the Federal Register, a system of user charges intended to recover a portion of Federal navigation-related costs of the operation, maintenance, new construction, and rehabilitation of inland waterways. Bases the assessment of such charges upon the annual (1) operation, construction, and rehabilitation costs of inland waterways; (2) the volume of traffic; (3) seasonal and peak demand periods; and (4) other factors. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to utilize as mechanisms of such system (1) license fees, (2) congestion charges, (3) ton-miles charges, (4) lockage fees; and (5) cargo capacity. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to allow vessels using the inland waterways to deduct from user charges any Federal tax (including a tax on fuels) which may be imposed after enactment of this Act. Requires that final rates be adequate to recover 50 percent of the Federal navigation-related expenditures for operation, maintenance, new construction, and rehabilitation of inland waterways. Sets forth procedures for implementation of such charges over a five year period. Establishes a Waterway Improvement Fund, administered by the Secretary of the Army, consisting of funds collected from user charges imposed by this Act. Imposes a fine of $5,000 per day for failure to pay user charges, and prohibits the violator from using any lock in the inland waterway system during the period of such violation. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Army, to submit to Congress three years after the implementation of a system of user charges, a report describing the economic impact and effectiveness of such charges. Creates a Mississippi River System Council consisting of the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Directs the Council to prepare a comprehensive master plan for the management of the Mississippi River system. Directs the Council in such preparation to cooperate with appropriate State and local agencies and with the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission. Requires such master plan (1) to identify the economic, recreational, and environmental objectives of Federal, State, and local agencies responsible for administration of the Mississippi River system, and (2) to recommend guidelines for such administration. Requires the guidelines of such master plan to include channel maintenance, minimizing dredging volumes, uses of dredged material, barge fleeting, water quality, fish and wildlife protection, wilderness preservation, and fish and wildlife refuge management. Authorizes the Council to carry out necessary studies, including those concerning the environmental and economic effects of present and projected traffic levels. Requires the Council to utilize, to the fullest extent possible, the Upper Mississippi River Resources Management (GREAT) study. Prohibits the Secretary of the Army from undertaking the rehabilitation, replacement, or construction of locks and dams which will increase the traffic capacity of the upper Mississippi River system, until Congress has approved the master plan. Authorizes the appropriation of $20,000,000 for preparation of the master plan, of which $4,400,000 shall be used for completion of the Upper Mississippi River Resource Management (GREAT) Study.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 24 February 1977

   Introduced

   Referred to Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 24 February 1977

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 16 May 1977

   Reported

   Reported to Senate from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with amendment, S. Rept. 95-215.

   Source: Committee

4. 16 May 1977

   Reported

   Reported to Senate from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with amendment, S. Rept. 95-215.

   Source: Committee

5. 22 June 1977

   Floor

   Measure indefinitely postponed in Senate.

   Source: Floor

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

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Documents

2 official files

• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 16 May 1977

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 24 February 1977

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN] · R · Cosponsor
• · ssev00 · Standing
• · sscm00 · Standing

Related records

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