Study with respect to inland waterway user taxes and charges

The Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy, the Attorney General of the United States, the Secretary of the Army, the Chairman of the Water Resources Council, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall— The economic effects of waterway user taxes and charges on— On— On— On— On the freight rates charged by other modes of transportation and the extent of short-term and long-term diversion of traffic from the inland waterways to such other modes. In considering such diversion of traffic, there shall also be considered the effects of such diversion on— On prices of commodities shipped by inland waterways and by competing modes, including the costs of energy materials and the effects on electric power rates. On the balance of payments of the United States based on our international trade. The comparative levels of benefits received from Federal expenditures on inland waterways for— The effects of inland waterway user taxes and charges on— For purposes of this section, the term “inland waterway user taxes and charges” means taxes imposed on the use of the inland and intra­coastal waterways of the United States and all alternatives to such taxes. Not later than September 30, 1981, the Secretary of Transportation shall transmit to Congress a final report of the study required by this section, together with his findings and recommendations (including necessary legislation) and the findings and recommendations of the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy, the Attorney General of the United States, the Secretary of the Army, the Chairman of the Water Resources Council, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated from time to time to the Secretary of Transportation such sums, not to exceed $8,000,000 in the aggregate, as may be necessary to carry out the study required by this section.