Harbor Maintenance

USACE – FY09 Budget for Civil Works

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) summarized its budget request for fiscal year 2009 for civil works. It includes $2.638 billion for operation and maintenance. This is the account from which harbor maintenance and dredging funds are derived. The Civil Works budget consists, in part, of $729 million from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and $167 million from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. Source: HK Law

Refunds of Harbor Maintenance Fees

The U.S. Customs Service issued a final rule establishing procedures for requesting refunds of export harbor maintenance fees. The procedure, which largely adopts the previous interim system, is intended to simplify the refund process by relieving exporters from certain documentary requirements and providing a 120-day period to allow exporters to seek additional refunds. The final rule comes into effect immediately. Source: HK Law

FY 01 Civil Works Budget Proposes $4.06B Program

President Clinton's budget transmitted to Congress includes $4.06 billion for the USACE Civil Works program. In addition, the program will include $322 million in non-federal contributions and trust fund receipts. Funding in this request will be used to continue the development of the nation's water resources, the efficient operations, maintenance and management of the nation's navigation, flood damage reduction, and multiple-purpose projects, the equitable regulation of wetlands

Levin, Stabenow Bill to Improve Harbors, Ports

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., introduced legislation that would ensure funding for federal ports and harbors across the nation. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., is an original co-sponsor of the bill. If enacted, the bill would help ensure that all revenue collected by the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) would be used for its intended purpose: to properly maintain and operate harbors and ports. The bill has broad bipartisan and multi-regional support

Bill Introduced for Harbor Construction

Representative English (R-PA) introduced a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow for expenditures from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for certain harbor construction activities, and for other purposes. [Source: HK Law]

Port Leaders Respond to President’s FY07 Budget Request

At a news conference the National Press Club, two leaders representing America’s public seaports expressed their concerns about the Administration’s recommended changes to the Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grant program and under-funding of the portion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program that provides needed navigation access to ports. Representing the American Association of Port Authorities at the news conference will be Kurt Nagle

Spending HMT Will End Dredging Crisis

Using the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for its intended purpose will end the dredging crisis on the Great Lakes declared a stone shipper at a briefing for the Great Lakes delegation in Washington, DC on April 2 hosted by Great Lakes Maritime Task Force.  “We need approximately $200m to clear the dredging backlog on the Great Lakes,” said Thomas Buck, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carmeuse Lime & Stone.  “The fund collects $1

WRDA Passage to End Lakes Dredging Crisis

The end of the dredging crisis on the Great Lakes moved a giant step closer today when a key House committee approved legislation requiring the federal government to spend all the tax dollars it collects for dredging on dredging rather than use nearly half to balance the budget - at least on paper.  Section 2007 of H.R. 5892, the Water Resources Development Act of 2010, mandates that all tax revenues annually deposited in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) be used to dredge the

Maritime Trust Funds

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bud Shuster (R-Pa.) introduced legislation, H.R. 3566, which would take the maritime trust funds "off budget." Unlike previous legislation which dealt with trust funds in the highway, aviation and maritime areas, this bill only covers the Inland Waterways Trust Fund and the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. Introduction of the "maritime only" bill is seen as an indication of Chairman Shuster's intent to deal with the issue in his

Cruise Lines Win Partial Victory on HMT

The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that the value of a cruise fare for purposes of the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) only includes the fair market value of the shipboard services. In the instant case, the Customs Service had assessed the HMT based on the full price paid by individual passengers. That full price included such things as airfare, travel agent commissions, port taxes, and Customs/INS fees. The court ruled