46 U.S.C. § 55603

Current through P.L. 118-107 (published on www.congress.gov on 11/21/2024)

Section 55603 - Multistate, State, Tribal, and regional transportation planning

(a) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary, in consultation with Federal entities, State and local governments, Tribal governments, and appropriate private sector entities, may develop strategies to encourage the use of marine highway transportation for transportation of passengers and cargo.

(b) STRATEGIES.-If the Secretary develops strategies under subsection (a), the Secretary may-

(1) assess the extent to which States, local governments, and Tribal governments include marine highway transportation and other marine transportation solutions in transportation planning;

(2) encourage State and Tribal departments of transportation to develop strategies, where appropriate, to incorporate marine highway transportation, ferries, and other marine transportation solutions for regional and interstate transport of freight and passengers in transportation planning; and

(3) encourage groups of States, Tribal governments, and multistate transportation entities to determine how marine highways can address congestion, bottlenecks, and other interstate transportation challenges.

46 U.S.C. § 55603

Added Pub. L. 117-263, div. C, title XXXV, §3521(b)(1), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3078.

EDITORIAL NOTES

PRIOR PROVISIONSA prior section 55603, added Pub. L. 110-140, title XI, §1121(a), Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1761, which related to an interagency board to identify and seek solutions to impediments hindering effective use of short sea transportation, was repealed by Pub. L. 116-283 title LVXXXIII [LXXXIII], §8332(d)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4704.

marine highway transportation

The term "marine highway transportation" means the carriage by a documented vessel of cargo (including such carriage of cargo and passengers), if such cargo-(A) is-(i) contained in intermodal cargo containers and loaded by crane on the vessel;(ii) loaded on the vessel by means of wheeled technology, including roll-on roll-off cargo;(iii) shipped in discrete units or packages that are handled individually, palletized, or unitized for purposes of transportation;(iv) bulk, liquid, or loose cargo loaded in tanks, holds, hoppers, or on deck; or(v) freight vehicles carried aboard commuter ferry boats; and(B) is-(i) loaded at a port in the United States and unloaded either at another port in the United States or at a port in Canada or Mexico; or(ii) loaded at a port in Canada or Mexico and unloaded at a port in the United States.