[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 55 (Friday, March 20, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15951-15952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05452]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

33 CFR Part 402

[Docket No. SLSDC-2016-0005]
RIN 2135-AA47


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 levied by the SLSMC in Canada starting in the 2020 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. The 
Tariff of Tolls are in effect in Canada.

DATES: This rule is effective March 20, 2020.

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 revising 33 CFR 402.12, ``Schedule of 
tolls'', to reflect the fees and charges levied by the SLSMC in Canada 
beginning in the 2020 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)).
    The SLSDC is amending 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 $28.57 to $29.14. 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 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 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 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 rule under the principles and 
criteria in Executive Order 13132, dated August 4, 1999, and has 
determined that this 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 (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 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 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. Revise Sec.  402.12 to read as follows:


Sec.  402.12  Schedule of tolls.

[[Page 15952]]



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            Column 1                   Column 2            Column 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Rate ($)  Welland
                                  Rate ($)  Montreal      Canal--Lake
   Item/description of charges      to or from Lake   Ontario to or from
                                  Ontario  (5 locks)     Lake Erie  (8
                                                            locks)
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1. Subject to item 3, for
 complete transit of the Seaway,
 a composite toll, comprising:
    (1) a charge per gross        0.1126............  0.1801.
     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..........  1.1671............  0.7966.
        (b) general cargo.......  2.8122............  1.2750.
        (c) steel slab..........  2.5452............  0.9128.
        (d) containerized cargo.  1.1671............  0.7966.
        (e) government aid cargo  n/a...............  n/a.
        (f) grain...............  0.7171............  0.7966.
        (g) coal................  0.7171............  0.7966.
    (3) a charge per passenger    1.7487............  1.7487.
     per lock.
    (4) a lockage charge per      n/a...............  0.3001.
     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...............  4,197.
     vessel.
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),
                                   1(2) and 1(4)       1(2) and 1(4)
                                   plus the            plus the
                                   applicable charge   applicable charge
                                   under items 1(3).   under items 1(3).
3. Minimum charge per vessel per  29.14 \2\.........  29.14.
 lock transited for full or
 partial transit of the Seaway.
4. 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\
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Or under the US 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 (33U.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.

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
Carrie Lavigne,
Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-05452 Filed 3-19-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-61-P