[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 57 (Friday, March 22, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20319-20321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06084]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

33 CFR Part 402

RIN 2135-AA56


Tariff of Tolls

AGENCY: Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation 
(GLS) 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 GLS 
and the SLSMC. The GLS is revising its regulations to reflect the fees 
and charges levied by the SLSMC in Canada starting in the 2024 
navigation season, which are effective only in Canada.

DATES: This rule is effective on March 22, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Docket: For access to the docket to read background 
documents or comments received, go to https://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, 
Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, 180 Andrews 
Street, Massena, New York 13662; (315) 764-3200.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway 
Development Corporation (GLS) 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 GLS 
and the SLSMC. The GLS is revising 33 CFR 402.12, ``Schedule of 
tolls'', to reflect the fees and charges levied by the SLSMC in Canada 
beginning in the 2024 navigation season.
    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 https://www.Regulations.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 that this regulation will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. The St. Lawrence 
Seaway Regulations and Rules 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 seq.) 
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 proposal 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

[[Page 20320]]

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 Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development 
Corporation is amending 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 1.101.


0
2. Revise Sec.  402.12 to read as follows:


Sec.  402.12  Schedule of tolls.

                        Table 1 to Sec.   402.12
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Column 1                    Column 2           Column 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Rate ($) Welland
                                    Rate ($) Montreal     Canal--Lake
   Item     Description of charges   to or from Lake     Ontario to or
                                    Ontario (5 locks)  from Lake Erie (8
                                                             locks)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.........  Subject to item 3, for
             complete transit of
             the Seaway, a
             composite toll,
             comprising:
            (1) a charge per gross
             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\
                 (a) all vessels    0.1267...........  0.2027.
                  excluding
                  passenger
                  vessels.
                 (b) passenger      0.3801...........  0.6080.
                  vessels.
            (2) a charge per
             metric ton of cargo
             as certified on the
             ship's manifest or
             other document, as
             follows:
                 (a) bulk cargo...  1.3133...........  0.8964.
                 (b) general cargo  3.1645...........  1.4347.
                 (c) steel slab...  2.8641...........  1.0271.
                 (d) containerized  1.3133...........  0.8964.
                  cargo.
                 (e) government     n/a..............  n/a.
                  aid cargo.
                 (f) grain........  0.8069...........  0.8964.
                 (g) coal.........  0.8069...........  0.8964.
               (3) a charge per     0.0000...........  0.0000.
                passenger per lock.
               (4) a lockage        n/a..............  0.3377.
                charge per Gross
                Registered Ton of
                the vessel, as
                defined in item
                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      n/a..............  4,724.00.
                charge per vessel.
2.........  Subject to item 3, for  20 per cent per    13 per cent per
             partial transit of      lock of the        lock of the
             the Seaway.             applicable         applicable
                                     charge under       charge under
                                     items 1(1), 1(2)   items 1(1), 1(2)
                                     and 1(4) plus      and 1(4) plus
                                     the applicable     the applicable
                                     charge under       charge under
                                     items 1(3).        items 1(3).
3.........  Minimum charge per      32.78 \2\........  32.78.
             vessel per lock
             transited for full or
             partial transit of
             the Seaway.
4.........  A charge per pleasure   25.00 \4\........  25.00.
             craft 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        10%..............  10%.
             Rebate 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 Great Lakes St. 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 (33 U.S.C. 988a(a)). The other
  charges are in Canadian dollars and are for the Canadian share of
  tolls.
\3\ Includes a $5.00 discount per lock with use of online reservation
  and payment system for Canadian locks.
\4\ The applicable charge at the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway
  Development Corporation's locks (Eisenhower, Snell) for pleasure craft
  is $30 USD or $30 CAD per lock.



[[Page 20321]]

    Issued at Washington, DC, under authority delegated at 49 CFR 
part 1.101. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.
Carrie Lavigne,
Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2024-06084 Filed 3-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-61-P