Sec. 211. Great Lakes winter commerce
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Subchapter IV of chapter 5 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on the Coast Guard Great Lakes icebreaking program. The report required under paragraph
(1)shall include the following: An evaluation of the economic impact of vessel delays or cancellations associated with ice coverage on the Great Lakes. An evaluation of mission needs of the Coast Guard Great Lakes icebreaking program. An evaluation of the impact that the proposed standards described in subsection
(b)would have on— Coast Guard operations in the Great Lakes; Northeast icebreaking missions; and inland waterway operations. A fleet mix analysis for meeting such proposed standards. A description of the resources necessary to support the fleet mix resulting from such fleet mix analysis, including for crew and operating costs. Recommendations to the Commandant for improvements to the Great Lakes icebreaking program, including with respect to facilitating commerce and meeting all Coast Guard mission needs. The proposed standards described in this subsection are the following: Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Commandant shall keep ice-covered waterways in the Great Lakes open to navigation during not less than 90 percent of the hours that commercial vessels and ferries attempt to transit such ice-covered waterways. In a year in which the Great Lakes are not open to navigation because of ice of a thickness that occurs on average only once every 10 years, the Commandant shall keep ice-covered waterways in the Great Lakes open to navigation during not less than 70 percent of the hours that commercial vessels and ferries attempt to transit such ice-covered waterways. Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Comptroller General submits the report under subsection (a), the Commandant shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that includes the following: A plan for Coast Guard implementation of any recommendation made by the Comptroller General under subparagraph
(F)of subsection (a)(2) the Commandant considers appropriate. With respect to any recommendation made under such subparagraph that the Commandant declines to implement, a justification for such decision. A review of, and a proposed implementation plan for, the results of the fleet mix analysis under subparagraph
(D)of that subsection. Any proposed modifications to the standards for icebreaking operations in the Great Lakes. In this section: The term commercial vessel means any privately owned cargo vessel operating in the Great Lakes during the winter season of at least 500 tons, as measured under section 14502 of title 46, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of such title, as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of such title. The term Great Lakes means the United States waters of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, their connecting waterways, and their adjacent harbors. The term ice-covered waterway means any portion of the Great Lakes in which commercial vessels or ferries operate that is 70 percent or greater covered by ice, but does not include any waters adjacent to piers or docks for which commercial icebreaking services are available and adequate for the ice conditions. The term open to navigation means navigable to the extent necessary, in no particular order of priority— to extricate vessels and individuals from danger; to prevent damage due to flooding; to meet the reasonable demands of commerce; to minimize delays to passenger ferries; and to conduct other Coast Guard missions as required. The term reasonable demands of commerce means the safe movement of commercial vessels and ferries transiting ice-covered waterways in the Great Lakes, regardless of type of cargo, at a speed consistent with the design capability of Coast Guard icebreakers operating in the Great Lakes and appropriate to the ice capability of the commercial vessel. . The analysis for chapter 5 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 564. Great Lakes icebreaking operations. .