Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1994

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Authorization

Title II: Personnel Management Improvement

Title III: Navigation Safety and Waterway Services Management

Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions

Title V: Recreational Boating Safety Improvement

Title VI: Towing Vessel Safety

Title VII: Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships Amendments

Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1994 - Title I: Authorization - Authorizes appropriations for the Coast Guard for: (1) operation and maintenance; (2) acquisition, construction, rebuilding, and improvement of aids to navigation, shore and offshore facilities, vessels, and aircraft; (3) research, development, test, and evaluation; (4) retirement pay and benefits; (5) alteration or removal of bridges; and (6) environmental compliance and restoration.

(Sec. 102) Authorizes the Coast Guard end-of-year strength for active duty and the average military training student loads.

(Sec. 102) Authorizes the Coast Guard end-of-year strength for active duty and the average military training student loads.

Title II: Personnel Management Improvement - Authorizes the Commandant of the Coast Guard to make child development services available for members of the armed forces and Federal civilian employees.

(Sec. 203) Authorizes homeowners' assistance to military personnel of the Coast Guard who were assigned to, or employed at, any Federal facility or installation in the vicinity of Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, during Hurricane Andrew.

(Sec. 207) Allows the Commandant to obtain research on Coast Guard personnel resource and training needs and to employ special programs for recruiting women and minorities.

(Sec. 208) Authorizes the Commandant, subject to the availability of appropriations, to enter into contracts to carry out health care services for Coast Guard personnel and covered beneficiaries.

Title III: Navigation Safety and Waterway Services Management - Amends the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act to increase the amounts transferred from State fish restoration and management project appropriations for grants for recreational boating safety programs. Revises funding from the same appropriations for grants to coastal and inland States for: (1) the construction and renovation of pumpout stations and waste reception facilities; and (2) education of recreational boaters about the problems of human body waste discharges from vessels.

(Sec. 301) Increases from 24 months to five years the period of validity for certificates of inspection maintained by vessels that have oil or hazardous substances on board.

(Sec. 302) Authorizes eligible States to submit plans for the construction and renovation of public facilities for transient nontrailerable vessels to the Secretary of the Interior. Authorizes grants for such purposes.

(Sec. 303) Repeals a provision requiring the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to collect and pay to the Treasury the same fees for the inspection of foreign vessels carrying passengers from the United States that a foreign country charges U.S. vessels trading to the ports of that country.

(Sec. 304) Increases civil penalties for violations regarding documentation of vessels.

Revises Federal provisions to make a vessel and its equipment liable to seizure by, and forfeiture to, the U.S. Government when: (1) the owner of the vessel or representative of the owner knowingly falsifies or conceals a material fact or makes a false statement or representation about the documentation when applying for documentation of the vessel; (2) a certificate of documentation is knowingly and fraudulently used for a vessel; (3) a vessel is operated after its endorsement has been denied or revoked; (4) a vessel is employed in a trade without an appropriate trade endorsement; (5) a documented vessel with only a recreational endorsement is operated other than for pleasure; or (6) a documented vessel is placed under the command of a person who is not a U.S. citizen.

(Sec. 305) Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to make persons who fail to comply with regulations issued by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating liable for a civil penalty.

(Sec. 306) Requires uninspected commercial fishing industry vessels that operate beyond three nautical miles from the Great Lakes coastline to be equipped with alerting and locating equipment.

(Sec. 308) Considers the knowing alteration of lifesaving, fire safety, or other specified equipment such that the equipment is rendered defective to be a class D felony.

Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to convey all right, title, and interest of the United States in Thacher Island to the Town of Rockport, Massachusetts, except that the Coast Guard shall retain all right, title, and interest in any historical artifact. Conditions such conveyance on the maintenance of specified navigation functions by the United States.

(Sec. 402) Directs the Secretary to convey to the Ketchikan Indian Corporation in Ketchikan, Alaska, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to specified Coast Guard property for use by such corporation as a Native health clinic.

(Sec. 403) Requires the Secretary, for purposes of alerting the Florida Avenue Bridge in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, to treat the drainage siphon that is adjacent to the bridge as an appurtenance of the bridge.

(Sec. 404) Sets forth conditions under which transferring a tuna fishing vessel which is an agreement vessel documented under U.S. laws to foreign registry shall not be treated as a disposition of an agreement vessel or a failure to meet any substantial obligation under an agreement entered into between the owner or operator of the vessel and the approriate Secretary.

Provides that all vessel income and expense will, after registry transfer, continue to be reported as income and taxed in the United States as if the vessels's registry had not been transferred.

Title V: Recreational Boating Safety Improvement - Amends Federal boating safety law to prohibit a person from operating a recreational vessel under 26 feet in length unless each individual six years or younger wears a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device while on the vessel's deck.

(Sec. 502) Sets forth a formula for the allocation of State recreational boating safety program funds based upon State adoption of prohibitions on the operation of recreational vessels while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

(Sec. 503) Directs the Secretary of Transportation to submit to specified congressional committees a plan to increase reporting of vessel accidents to State law enforcement officials.

(Sec. 504) Declares that persons who operate a recreational vessel in violation of this Act may be ordered to complete an approved recreational boating safety course.

Title VI: Towing Vessel Safety - Authorizes the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to require the use of specified navigation equipment on towing vessels.

(Sec. 602) Directs individuals who apply for issuance or renewal of a towing vessel operator's license to demonstrate proficiency in the use of navigational safety equipment.

(Sec. 603) Requires marine casualties to be reported as soon as practicable, but in no case later than within five days. Increases penalties for an individual in charge of a vessel for failing to report a casualty.

(Sec. 604) Directs the Secretary of Transportation to report to the Congress on: (1) the adequacy and effectiveness of manning of towing vessels and progress made in implementing improvements in towing vessel operator licensing requirements; and (2) the feasibility of establishing a differential global positioning satellite navigation system and creating electronic charts for U.S. inland waterways.

Title VII: Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships Amendments - Amends the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships to authorize the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to issue a certificate attesting to the adequacy of garbage reception facilities at a port or terminal only if an inspection has been conducted prior to the issuance of a certificate.

(Sec. 702) Makes such certificates valid for a period of five years unless there is a change of operator.

Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations that require the operators of ports or terminals subject to MARPOL Protocol (the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973) requirements relating to reception facilities to post placards stating that users should report facility inadequacies to the Secretary.

Requires all vessels to display placards and conduct briefings that notify the crew and passengers of requirements of Annex V of the Convention.

Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to refuse or revoke certain permits to proceed or depart of foreign vessels in violation of MARPOL requirements.

Provides for a toll-free telephone number for reporting MARPOL violations.

(Sec. 703) Amends the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 to direct the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to report to the Congress on potential improvements of the waste management practices at port facilities. Expresses the sense of the Congress that certain shipper insurance policies should not provide for the payment of penalties under the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships.

Requires persons in charge of vessels to include information on the disposal of onboard waste in the notice of arrival to the port.

Direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a Marine Debris Coordinating Committee.