Waterway Bill That Passes House Could Have Benefits for Boaters
A bill that the US House of Representatives just passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013, has Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) seeing potential benefits for recreational boaters.
"We have national highway and air transportation systems," said BoatUS Government Affairs Senior Program Coordinator David Kennedy. "This is the first time since 2007 that Congress is moving forward with a much needed transportation bill for our waterways, and boaters stand to gain from it."
The same committee is already at work to plan the 2013 event, which will seek to come back stronger than ever as we exit this transitional year. On behalf of the St. Croix Yacht Club, we look forward to working with the community to make this uniquely Cruzan event a proud and prosperous one for all in 2013.
One item in the boater-friendly Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013
directs the US Army Corps of Engineers to assess the operation and maintenance needs
of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
Recreational boaters will benefit from language in the bill directing the Army Corps of Engineers to target funding to emerging harbors, or those that ship less than one million tons of cargo annually. H.R. 3080 allocates 10% of the total amount of expenditures that go to waterway operation and maintenance costs to be used at these emerging harbors. While these harbors and waterways may not carry the millions of tons of cargo of the bigger ports, they play a vital role in supporting recreational boating and commercial fishing.
The bill also takes some innovative approaches to waterway development policy such as streamlining project studies and looking at all of the individually authorized projects in the Great Lakes Navigation System as a single comprehensive system that recognizes the interdependence of the projects. Additionally, the Corps is directed to assess the operation and maintenance needs of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, taking into consideration their benefits to recreation, commercial fishing and navigation.
"We'd like to thank the bill's sponsor, Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa.; Rep. Nick Rahall, D-WV; Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-OH, and Rep. Tim Bishop, D-NY for their leadership in moving this legislation forward. We truly appreciate their understanding of the vital role that emerging harbors and shallow draft channels play in thousands of communities across the nation," stated Kennedy.
About BoatUS:
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its over half-million members with government representation, services such as 24-hour on water boat towing as well as roadside assistance for boat trailers and tow vehicles, feature-packed boat insurance programs, money-saving benefits that include marina and West Marine shopping discounts, and vital information that improves recreational boating. Its member-funded BoatUS Foundation is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating.
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