The bill will propose fixes for both the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, including increasing the diesel tax users of the nation's inland systems pay. The bill will also include provisions to improve landside infrastructure at ports, as well as change the cost-share for maintenance dredging in deep draft harbors. Additional elements of the bill will include:

• Removal of the requirement that Olmsted Lock be funded using Inland Waterways Trust Fund revenues (currently Olmsted Lock on the Ohio River requires $147 million of the $170 million in annual funding available for inland lock construction and rehabilitation; taking it out of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund will free up revenue to address other locks and dams across the country)
• Increase revenue to Inland Waterways Trust Fund in a manner consistent with the agreement between the Inland Waterways Users and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Require Inland Waterways construction projects follow the plan agreed to by the Inland Waterways Users and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Provide full federal funding for maintenance of harbors up to 50 feet deep (currently it is only full funding up to 45 feet, but the Panama Canal expansion will accommodate ships with a 50 foot depth)
• Establish an accounting method for revenues from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund that will allow the Corps to offset annual Harbor Maintenance spending
• Authorize a 5-year construction program to expand harbors to accommodate the larger ships expected after the Panama Canal expansion
• Fund Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and Inland Waterways Trust Fund construction projects to authorized widths and depths as part of the 5-year construction program.
• Speed up construction permit approval and provides states with the ability to appeal slow moving regulatory decision making
• Fund landside infrastructure at ports  

This announcement is an important and positive step forward in addressing the serious problems plaguing the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which impacts every federal navigation project in the Pacific Northwest. PNWA staff and members look forward to reviewing the full details of the proposal when they are released. We will keep Nor'wester readers apprised of any developments affecting navigation stakeholders in the Northwest. Feel free to contact PNWA if you have any questions.