Tariff of Tolls

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 3 (Thursday, January 5, 2017)

Federal Register Volume 82, Number 3 (Thursday, January 5, 2017)

Proposed Rules

Pages 1287-1288

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2016-32001

Page 1287

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

33 CFR Part 402

Docket No. SLSDC-2016-0005

RIN 2135-AA41

Tariff of Tolls

AGENCY: Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) of Canada, under international agreement, jointly publish and presently administer the St. Lawrence Seaway Tariff of Tolls in their respective jurisdictions. The Tariff sets forth the level of tolls assessed on all commodities and vessels transiting the facilities operated by the SLSDC and the SLSMC. The SLSDC is revising its regulations to reflect the fees and charges levied by the SLSMC in Canada starting in the 2017 navigation season, which are effective only in Canada. An amendment to increase the minimum charge per lock for those vessels that are not pleasure craft or subject in Canada to tolls under items 1 and 2 of the Tariff for full or partial transit of the Seaway will apply in the U.S. (See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.)

DATES: Comments are due February 6, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.Regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Carrie Mann Lavigne, Chief Counsel, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, 180 Andrews Street, Massena, New York 13662; 315/764-3200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) of Canada, under international agreement, jointly publish and presently administer the St. Lawrence Seaway Tariff of Tolls (Schedule of Fees and Charges in Canada) in their respective jurisdictions.

The Tariff sets forth the level of tolls assessed on all commodities and vessels transiting the facilities operated by the SLSDC and the SLSMC. The SLSDC is proposing to revise 33 CFR 402.12, ``Schedule of tolls'', to reflect the fees and charges levied by the SLSMC in Canada beginning in the 2017 navigation season. With one exception, the changes affect the tolls for commercial vessels and are applicable only in Canada. The collection of tolls by the SLSDC on commercial vessels transiting the U.S. locks is waived by law (33 U.S.C. 988a(a)). Accordingly, no notice or comment is necessary on these amendments.

The SLSDC is proposing to amend 33 CFR 402.12, ``Schedule of tolls'', to increase the minimum charge per vessel per lock for full or partial transit of the Seaway from $27.46 to $28.01. This charge is for vessels that are not pleasure craft or subject in Canada to the tolls under items 1 and 2 of the Tariff. This increase is due to higher operating costs at the locks.

Regulatory Notices: Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Regulatory Evaluation

This proposed regulation involves a foreign affairs function of the United States and therefore, Executive Order 12866 does not apply and evaluation under the Department of Transportation's Regulatory Policies and Procedures is not required.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Determination

I certify this proposed regulation will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The St. Lawrence Seaway Tariff of Tolls primarily relate to commercial users of the Seaway, the vast majority of whom are foreign vessel operators. Therefore, any resulting costs will be borne mostly by foreign vessels.

Environmental Impact

This proposed regulation does not require an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act (49 U.S.C. 4321, et reg.) because it is not a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.

Federalism

The Corporation has analyzed this proposed rule under the principles and criteria in Executive Order 13132, dated August 4, 1999, and has determined that this proposal does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant a Federalism Assessment.

Unfunded Mandates

The Corporation has analyzed this proposed rule under Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4, 109 Stat. 48) and determined that it does not impose unfunded mandates on State, local, and tribal governments and the private sector requiring a written statement of economic and regulatory alternatives.

Paperwork Reduction Act

This proposed regulation has been analyzed under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and does not contain new or modified information collection requirements subject to the Office of Management and Budget review.

List of Subjects in 33 CFR part 402

Vessels, Waterways.

Accordingly, the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation proposes to amend 33 CFR part 402, Tariff of Tolls, as follows:

PART 402--TARIFF OF TOLLS

0

  1. The authority citation for part 402 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 983(a), 984(a)(4) and 988, as amended; 49 CFR 1.52.

    0

  2. In Sec. 402.12 the table is revised to read as follows:

    Sec. 402.12 Schedule of tolls.

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    Column 1 Column 2 Column 3

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    Rate ($) Welland Canal--

    Rate ($) Montreal to or Lake Ontario to or from

    Item Description of Charges from Lake Ontario (5 Lake Erie (8 locks)

    locks)

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  3. Subject to item 3, for ........................

    complete transit of the

    Seaway, a composite toll,

    comprising:

    Page 1288

    (1) a charge per gross 0.1082.................. 0.1732.

    registered ton of the ship,

    applicable whether the ship

    is wholly or partially

    laden, or is in ballast,

    and the gross registered

    tonnage being calculated

    according to prescribed

    rules for measurement or

    under the International

    Convention on Tonnage

    Measurement of Ships, 1969,

    as amended from time to

    time \1\.

    (2) a charge per metric ton of ........................ ........................

    cargo as certified on the

    ship's manifest or other

    document, as follows:

    (a) bulk cargo............. 1.1217.................. 0.7656.

    (b) general cargo.......... 2.7028.................. 1.2253.

    (c) steel slab............. 2.4461.................. 0.8772.

    (d) containerized cargo.... 1.1217.................. 0.7656.

    (e) government aid cargo... n/a..................... n/a.

    (f) grain.................. 0.6891.................. 0.7656.

    (g) coal................... 0.6891.................. 0.7656.

    (3) a charge per passenger 1.6806.................. 1.6806.

    per lock.

    (4) a lockage charge per n/a..................... 0.2884.

    Gross Registered Ton of the

    vessel, as defined in tem

    1(1), applicable whether

    the ship is wholly or

    partially laden, or is in

    ballast, for transit of the

    Welland Canal in either

    direction by cargo ships,.

    Up to a maximum charge per n/a..................... 4,034.

    vessel.

  4. Subject to item 3, for partial 20 per cent per lock of 13 per cent per lock of

    transit of the Seaway. the applicable charge the applicable charge

    under items 1(1), 1(2) under items 1(1), 1(2)

    and 1(4) plus the and 1(4) plus the

    applicable charge under applicable charge under

    items 1(3). items 1(3).

  5. Minimum charge per vessel per 28.01 \2\............... 28.01.

    lock transited for full or

    partial transit of the Seaway.

  6. A charge per pleasure craft 30.00 \4\............... 30.00.

    per lock transited for full

    or partial transit of the

    Seaway, including applicable

    federal taxes \3\.

  7. Under the New Business 20%..................... 20%.

    Initiative Program, for cargo

    accepted as New Business, a

    percentage rebate on the

    applicable cargo charges for

    the approved period.

  8. Under the Volume Rebate 10%..................... 10%.

    Incentive program, a

    retroactive percentage rebate

    on cargo tolls on the

    incremental volume calculated

    based on the pre-approved

    maximum volume.

  9. Under the New Service 20%..................... 20%.

    Incentive Program, for New

    Business cargo moving under

    an approved new service, an

    additional percentage refund

    on applicable cargo tolls

    above the New Business rebate.

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    \1\ Or under the U.S. GRT for vessels prescribed prior to 2002.

    \2\ The applicable charged under item 3 at the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation's locks

    (Eisenhower, Snell) will be collected in U.S. dollars. The collection of the U.S. portion of tolls for

    commercial vessels is waived by law (33 U.S.C. 988a(a)). The other charges are in Canadian dollars and are for

    the Canadian share of tolls.

    \3\ $5.00 discount per lock applicable on ticket purchased for Canadian locks via PayPal.

    \4\ The applicable charge at the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation's locks (Eisenhower, Snell) for

    pleasure craft is $30 U.S. or $30 Canadian per lock.

    Issued at Washington, DC, on December 30, 2016.

    Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

    Carrie Lavigne,

    Chief Counsel.

    FR Doc. 2016-32001 Filed 1-4-17; 8:45 am

    BILLING CODE 4910-61-P

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