[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 31 (Thursday, February 14, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6869-6870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-3559]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

33 CFR Part 402

[Docket No. SLSDC 2002-11529]
RIN 2135-AA14


Tariff of Tolls

AGENCY: Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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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 charged by the SLSMC in Canada starting in the 2002 navigation 
season, which are effective only in Canada.

DATES: This rule is effective on March 18, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marc C. Owen, Chief Counsel, Saint 
Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, 400 Seventh Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-6823.

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 in their 
respective jurisdictions. (The Tariff is called the Schedule of Fees 
and Charges in Canada.) The amendments are described in the following 
summary.
    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 Sec. 402.8, ``Schedule of tolls'', 
to reflect the fees and charges charged by the SLSMC in Canada starting 
in the 2002 navigation season. The changes affect the tolls for 
commercial vessels and are applicable only in Canada as the collection 
of the U.S. portion of tolls for commercial vessels is waived by law 
(33 U.S.C. 988a(a)).

Regulatory Evaluation

    This regulation involves a foreign affairs function of the United 
States and therefore Executive Order 12866 does not apply. This 
regulation has also been evaluated under the Department of 
Transportation's Regulatory Policies and Procedures and the regulation 
is not considered significant under those procedures and its economic 
impact is expected to be so minimal that a full economic evaluation is 
not warranted.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Determination

    The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation certifies that 
this regulation will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities. The St. Lawrence Seaway Tariff of 
Tolls primarily relates 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.

[[Page 6870]]

Environmental Impact

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

Federalism

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

Unfunded Mandates

    The Corporation has analyzed this rule under title II of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Public Law 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 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 
amends 33 CFR part 402, Tariff of Tolls, as follows:

PART 402--TARIFF OF TOLLS

    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.


    2. Sec. 402.8 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 402.8  Schedule of tolls.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Rate ($) Welland
                                   Rate ($) Montreal      Canal--Lake
   Item No. and description of      to or from Lake   Ontario to or from
             charges               Ontario (5 locks)     Lake Erie (8
                                                            locks)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Subject to item 3, for
 complete transit of the Seaway,
 a composite toll, comprising:
    (1) a charge per gross        0.0883............  0.1436
     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 in
     the United States or under
     the International
     Convention on Tonnage
     Measurement of Ships, 1969,
     as amended from time to
     time.
    (2) a charge per metric ton
     of cargo as certified on
     the ship's manifest or
     other document, as follows:
        (a) bulk cargo..........  0.9164............  0.6072
        (b) general cargo.......  2.2081............  0.9717
        (c) steel slab..........  1.9984............  0.6956
        (d) containerized cargo.  0.9164............  0.6072
        (e) government aid cargo  N/a...............  N/a
        (f) grain...............  0.5630............  0.6072
        (g) coal................  0.5410............  0.6072
    (3) a charge per passenger    1.3028............  1.3028
     per lock.
    (4) a charge per lock for
     transit of the Welland
     Canal in either direction
     by cargo ships:
        (a) loaded..............  N/a...............  484.93
        (b) in ballast..........  N/a...............  358.29
2. Subject to item 3, for         20 per cent per     13 per cent per
 partial transit of the Seaway.    lock of the         lock of the
                                   applicable charge   applicable charge
                                   under items 1 (1)   under items 1(1)
                                   and (2) plus the    and (2) plus the
                                   applicable charge   applicable charge
                                   under items 1 (3)   under items 1 (3)
                                   and (4).            and (4)
3. Minimum charge per ship per    16.24.............  16.24
 lock transited for full or
 partial transit of the Seaway.
4. A rebate applicable for the    Rebate of 1.5%....  Rebate of 1.5%
 2001 navigation season to the
 rates of item 1 to 3.
5. A charge per pleasure craft    20.00.............  20.00
 per lock transited for full or
 partial transit of the Seaway,
 including applicable federal
 taxes\1\.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The applicable charge at the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development
  Corporation's locks (Eisenhower, Snell) is $20 U.S. or $30 Canadian
  per lock. The other amounts are in Canadian dollars and are for the
  Canadian share of tolls. The collection of the U.S. portion of tolls
  for commercial vessels is waived by law (33 U.S.C. 988a(a)).


    Issued at Washington, DC on February 8, 2002.

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.
Albert S. Jacquez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 02-3559 Filed 2-13-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-61-P