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These are minutes of the Waterways Team. The opinions, recommendations, or positions expressed herein do not constitute the opinions, recommendations, or positions of the MTSNAC unless they are expressly ratified after review, discussion, and vote of the full MTSNAC.

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MTSNAC Waterways Team Meeting Minutes

Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

 

 

Ms. Worth Hager, Chair of the Waterways Team, convened the meeting at 2:05 p.m.

The first order of business was the action item from the Secretary of Transportation on the status of the outreach to stakeholders concerning the need for a LORAN-e backup system for the GPS satellite system.  Preliminary responses are expected before the first of May.

There was then a roundtable discussion on the team’s agenda and purpose, and needed action items. 

Group discussion

The group discussed the following issues and prioritized them from highest to lowest –

 

1.      Request that MTSNAC pass a Resolution at its May 2005 meeting, urging the Secretary of Transportation to take action on a number of issues:

A.  Support the Water Resources Development Act.

B.   Develop a National Intermodal Transportation Policy. 

1. Recommend that the policy highlight the connectivity between coastal ports and waterways and inland waterways.

2. National transportation policy and law is largely modally oriented, with maritime often not included in transportation plans at the federal and state levels.

3. The transportation committee of the National Governors Association has endorsed a Next Generation Study in 2004/2005, which states:

• “National Transportation Policy Study.  Governors support the creation of a Next Generation National Transportation Policy Study Commission to address the overall transportation needs of the nation and how such transportation needs should be balanced across all modes and appropriately funded.  In particular, attention needs to be given to the future of the Highway Trust Fund.  The Study should recommend ways to restructure the federal revenue collection system to better respond to changes in vehicle technology, usage patterns and fuel consumption.”

C.  Request the Inter-Agency Committee on the Marine Transportation System (ICMTS) to:

1. Develop ongoing conditions and performance reports on the maritime system (similar to highway or FAA reports), which will give reference numbers for what real needs are.  Make sure to tie the maritime mode together with other modes.  Some suggested report topics are:

• Short-term state of infrastructure report on the inland system

• Cost of lightering and light-loading

• First mile intermodal connectors

 

2. Make sure that ICMTS coordinates with DOD (U.S. Transportation Command [TRANSCOM]), DHS (TSA/USCG) and the Corps of Engineers on hazmat/security/military needs, including reviewing the continued and anticipated future requirement of the navigation infrastructure built to support military preparedness.    Both DOD and DHS should sit on board.

3. Review how the Endangered Species Act impacts transportation.  Conduct survey with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers how much the Act affects the transportation system.

• The Secretary of Transportation is Chair of both the ICMTS and the Environmental Streamlining Task Force for transportation projects.  [For more on this task force, go to a page on the White House website called “Executive Order: Environmental Stewardship and Transportation Infrastructure Project Reviews” (at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/09/20020918-14.html).]

4. Ask ICMTS to study environmental benefits/costs of waterway congestion.

·         Mercer Report.

·         Minnesota study. 

·         Tennessee Valley Authority report on congestion

D. Initiate a Maritime Administration annual maritime sector forecast.

1. The forecast would be modeled on the FAA Aerospace Forecast

2. It would be prepared in cooperation with recognized industry analysts

3. It would provide near and long-term forecasts

• On the global maritime sector

• Primarily for the benefit of American industry and government

• Of value for planning by ports, shipbuilders, investors and others

• That could elevate the visibility of the maritime sector

E. Review and determine the benefits of waterborne transportation as a preferred alternative for hazardous materials transportation in the United States.

1. Hazmat transportation is receiving increased scrutiny as a matter of community safety

2. Hazardous materials and facilities are now being viewed in the context of homeland security

3. In certain circumstances waterborne transportation might preferred as a safe and secure means of moving hazmat cargo between regions of the country.

2.  NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) – plug into maritime needs.

• NOAA, with other Federal agencies, has proposed IOOS to improve the understand of ocean and coastal areas

•  IOOS will be built on regional associations whose founders may or may not have knowledge of the marine transportation system needs.

• The regional associations should recognize the importance of the NOS navigation programs to the maritime system and national commerce.

• Existing NOAA navigation safety programs such as real-time tide and current system (PORTS) and mapping and charting should be integral parts of the regional association planning and the backbone of IOOS.

 

Action Items

1. Team will prepare a draft Resolution to be forwarded to the full Council ahead of its meeting in May 2005. (Item #1)

2. Jean Godwin (AAPA) will track down government reports that reference the idea of developing ongoing conditions and performance reports on the maritime system.

3.  Email team members the letter dated April 19 from chair and vice chair of Waterways Team to the maritime community.  Meeting attendees will ascertain who else should receive the letter.

4. Paul Mentz (SNAME) to summarize focus of Waterways Team based on meeting discussion (see attached draft in Appendix).

 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:40 pm.

 

APPENDIX

 

The MTSNAC Waterways Team shall address public policy issues, define goals and objectives, identify constraints, and make recommendations on matters (a) relating to all waterway environments in the United States from the sea buoy to the head of navigation; (b) including all physical infrastructure necessary to enable efficient marine transportation (i.e. ports and terminals, locks and dams, channels and navigation aids, etc.); and (c) covering both domestic and international marine transportation cargo and passenger movements.