[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2570 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2570

    To exempt the vessel John Craig from certain requirements when 
 operating on a portion of the Kentucky River, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 27, 2013

   Mr. Barr introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To exempt the vessel John Craig from certain requirements when 
 operating on a portion of the Kentucky River, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Valley View Ferry Preservation Act 
of 2013''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Valley View Ferry is the oldest continuously 
        operated ferry west of the Appalachian Mountains and the third 
        oldest in the United States.
            (2) The vessel utilized by the Valley View Ferry, the 
        vessel John Craig, does not have steering capabilities; 
        instead, it is attached to 2 overhead, \7/8\ inch diameter 
        cables that guide the vessel to each side of the river.
            (3) The crossing distance for the Valley View Ferry is 
        approximately 500 feet.
            (4) The Valley View Ferry is located on the Kentucky River 
        between the cities of Lexington, Nicholasville, and Richmond in 
        Central Kentucky.
            (5) The John Craig is a 24-ton vessel that is 60 feet long 
        and 14 feet wide.
            (6) The Valley View Ferry does not carry vehicles with 
        combustible materials.
            (7) The Valley View Ferry is a toll-free ferry.
            (8) Federal regulations changed in 2006, which established 
        a new requirement that the Valley View Ferry comply with all 
        Coast Guard inspection and licensing regulations.
            (9) The new licensing regulations for operators of the 
        vessel John Craig threaten to close the historic ferry.
            (10) While the Coast Guard should maintain safety 
        inspection authority with respect to the Valley View Ferry, 
        licensing authority should reside with the Commonwealth of 
        Kentucky.

SEC. 3. VALLEY VIEW FERRY.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
vessel John Craig (United States official number D1110613), if 
operating on the covered portion of the Kentucky River, shall be exempt 
from the requirement under section 8902 of title 46, United States 
Code, that the vessel be operated by an individual licensed by the 
Secretary.
    (b) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--The exemption under subsection (a) shall 
        take effect on the date on which the Secretary determines that 
        a licensing requirement under Kentucky State law has been 
        established that applies to the vessel John Craig.
            (2) Continued effect.--The exemption under subsection (a), 
        upon taking effect as the result of a State law under paragraph 
        (1), shall remain in effect for the period during which such 
        State law is in effect.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Covered portion of the kentucky river.--The term 
        ``covered portion of the Kentucky River'' means the portion of 
        the Kentucky River, Kentucky, located at approximately mile 
        point 158, in Pool Number 9, between Lock and Dam Number 9 and 
        Lock and Dam Number 10.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 2101 of title 46, United States 
        Code.
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