§55604. Research on marine highway transportation

The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, may conduct research on marine highway transportation, regarding-

(1) the economic effects of marine highway transportation on the United States economy;

(2) the effects of marine highway transportation, including with respect to the provision of additional transportation options, on rural areas;

(3) the environmental and transportation benefits to be derived from marine highway transportation alternatives for other forms of transportation;

(4) technology, vessel design, and other improvements that would reduce emissions, increase fuel economy, and lower costs of marine highway transportation and increase the efficiency of intermodal transfers; and

(5) solutions to impediments to marine highway transportation projects designated under section 55601.

(Added Pub. L. 110–140, title XI, §1121(a), Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1761 ; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIII [LXXXIII], §8332(d)(4), (5), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4705 ; Pub. L. 117–263, div. C, title XXXV, §3521(c), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3078 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2022-Pars. (1) to (5). Pub. L. 117–263 added pars. (1) and (2) and redesignated former pars. (1) to (3) as (3) to (5), respectively.

2021-Pub. L. 116–283 substituted "marine highway" for "short sea" in section catchline and wherever appearing in text.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.