Recent Strides for the River Transportation Industry

As a member of The American Waterways Operators (AWO), AEP River Operations received this letter last week, documenting the recent achievements in public policy:

Dear AWO Members,

Your industry has had some notable achievements in its public policy work over the last few days, several of which are on our most important priority issues:

• On Tuesday, the House passed the 2012 Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act.  The bill as approved contained provisions critical to AWO members:
  
  • Title VII of the bill establishes a uniform and practical national standard for the regulation of ballast water and vessel discharges, preempting state authority from regulating our industry’s operations in these areas.  This was a hard won provision that was only included in the final bill as a result of our industry’s successful effort to defeat crippling amendments proposed by Reps. Tim Bishop (D-NY), John Dingell (D-MI) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY).  The advocacy of AWO members was critical in the defeat of these amendments and in final passage of the bill.  More than 60 AWO members weighed in directly with Congress just at the right times, as these harmful amendments were being considered and as the final bill was going to the House floor for the vote on its passage.
  • A bipartisan amendment cosponsored by Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Jeff Landry (R-LA) to tighten up the national security requirements for Jones Act waivers and to improve transparency in the administrative waiver process, to correct the kind of failures we saw last summer at the Maritime Administration in refusing to use available U.S. vessels to move oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
  • An amendment sponsored by Rep. Jeff Landry (R-LA) that gives the Coast Guard the authority to extend the validity period of an STCW medical certificate if necessary due to delays in the medical review process.  AWO sought this provision to provide insurance against unacceptable consequences when mariners on coastal towing vessels subject to STCW transition to a 2-year medical certificate next year.
• Yesterday, the Coast Guard held the final of its four public hearings on the Towing Vessel Inspection proposed rule.  AWO members turned out in impressive numbers to testify at each of these public hearings.  Nearly 300 AWO members attended one of the hearings to show their concern and nearly 80 presented testimony and statements at one of the four hearings.  These members presented a compelling and consistent case for the changes that are necessary in order to perfect this important, groundbreaking Coast Guard regulation.

The strength and effectiveness of our member grassroots advocacy is the foundation to these kinds of results.  Thanks to the many members who made this possible.  However, there is always more to do. 

Today, we are very concerned about Senate consideration of an amendment to the Jones Act that would allow foreign built vessels to transport cargo in our nation’s domestic trade, a weakening of our sabotage laws that is unprecedented.  We are working that hard as you read this.

Tom

Written by: Tom Allegretti; tallegretti@vesselalliance.com