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POLICY & ADVOCACY
>>> Federal Legislation and Regulation
Highway
Funding Mechanisms
Today, federal motor fuels tax revenue deposited into the Highway Trust
Fund (HTF) pays for expansion and repair of the nation's interstate highway
system as well as federal aid to other important pieces of transportation
infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels. By 2009, the HTF is scheduled
to fall into deficit as revenues will not be able to cover simple maintenance
and existing federal transportation program costs.
As part of the current federal transportation funding bill, signed into law in 2005, Congress created the Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Commission to make policy recommendations to improve federal aid to transportation programs. Proposals have been forwarded to rely on non-gasoline tax revenues to meet these needs. The Waterfront Coalition opposes efforts to earmark Customs duties and place a fee on international shipping containers to help pay for transportation infrastructure
"Projects
of National and Regional Significance"
The current surface transportation funding bill, known as SAFETEA-LU, outlines
federal aid to the nation's interstate highways as well as other important
infrastructure projects such as bridges, tunnels and mass transit programs.
Historically, projects designed to promote mass transit have received the
majority of funding leaving few funds to promote freight mobility.
The current transportation
funding bill includes a provision called the "Projects of National
and Regional Significance" designed to channel federal funds to transportation
projects that promote cross-border and other international freight according
to strict criteria. In January 2007, the Department of Transportation issued
a rulemaking changing the criteria used to identify projects by granting
the Transportation Secretary the ability to rank projects based on need
and economic significance.
"Freight
Rail Infrastructure and Expansion Act"
The need to move freight of all kinds, everything from coal, grain, automobiles
and intermodal containers, has grown steadily while freight infrastructure
has remained unchanged. The enormous capital costs of freight rail infrastructure
hinders the ability of rail providers to expand network capacity. The Waterfront
Coalition supports legislation granting a twenty-five percent federal tax
credit to freight rail infrastructure investors as an incentive to expand
network capacity for all freight rail users.
Federal
Re-Regulation of Freight Rail Service
A group of freight rail users that have access to only a single Class I
rail provider ("captive" shippers) support legislation that would
cap rates and establish minimum levels of service. This could force rail
providers to raise rates and reduce service for non-captive shippers, such
as intermodal customers, just to meet the demands for captive shippers.
The Waterfront Coalition opposes re-regulation.
"Framework
for National Freight Policy"
On January 17, 2006, the Office of the Undersecretary for Policy at the
Department of Transportation issued its "Framework for a National Freight
Policy". The document calls for a greatly expanded role for the private
sector, including cargo owners, to help identify important goods movement
projects. The Framework also calls for more non-federal funding, including
the use of toll roads and other "public private partnerships",
to pay for these projects. Finally, the Framework supports collaborative
efforts among private sector stakeholders to make more efficient use of
existing infrastructure.
The Waterfront Coalition supports the "Framework" and continues to work with the Department of Transportation on goods movement funding priorities and with the cargo community to identify best practices to promote freight mobility.
Food
and Drug Import Restrictions
On September 30th, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell
introduced the Food and Drug Import Safety Act (HR 3610) in response to
continued media coverage of food import concerns. The bill contains provisions
that would force food and agriculture importers to pay a user fee to fund
Food and Drug Administration inspections and eliminate major ports-of-entry
for food and agricultural items. The Waterfront Coalition opposes these
provisions
>>>
State Legislation and Regulation
Opposition
to Broad-Based Container Fees
The Waterfront Coalition opposes efforts to place taxes and fees on containers
to pay for undefined transportation projects or other public policies. Legislation
introduced in the California legislature recently would impose a $60 container
fee levied on cargo owners to pay for undefined transportation projects
as well as many clean air initiatives.
"Goods
Movement Action Plan"
On May 19, 2006 California voters approved a ballot initiative that allows
the governor to raise over $3 billion in bond revenue to pay for transportation
infrastructure to promote the movement of international commerce through
the state. According to the "Goods movement Action Plan", $1 billion
of this total must be earmarked for clean air projects. The Waterfront Coalition
supports greater public spending on goods movement projects.
>>> Local and Regional Issues
"Clean
Air Action Plan"
In November 2006, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach jointly issued
its "Clean Air Action Plan" that lists all available policies
to reduce emissions at the port by ocean vessels, trucks, trains and yard
equipment. In April 2007, the ports issued their first policy to reduce
truck emissions by creating a concession for licensed motor carriers. According
to the published plan, only those motor carriers that maintain a fleet of
at least 40 clean burning trucks and use employee drivers in place of contract
drivers may receive a license to move cargo through the port. As of December
2007, both ports also jointly issued their "Clean Truck Fee" that
would impose a $70 container fee on beneficial cargo owners to pay for a
fleet of clean trucks.
The Waterfront Coalition opposes this concession system for regulating truck emissions and the Clean Truck Fee to pay for a fleet of clean trucks. The Waterfront Coalition, along with other industry groups, issued a White Paper supporting stricter statewide truck emission standards as an efficient means to reducing truck borne emissions at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Port
of Los Angeles Rail Policy
In April 2004 the Los Angeles Port of Harbor Commissioners passed a resolution
endorsing the need to promote more use of rail services to move freight
through marine terminals as a means to alleviate road congestion and reduce
truck emissions. The policy specifically calls for efforts to promote more
on-dock services and develop more near-dock rail yards. The Waterfront Coalition
supports the Rail Policy and promotes efforts on the part of industry stakeholders
to make better use of rail services.
