A bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1982 for carrying out the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979, and for other purposes.
Title I: Natural Gas Pipeline Safety - Amends the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 to alter the frequency of meetings held by the Secretary of Transportation and the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee.
Extends, for a person adversely affected by regulations promulgated under such Acts, the time in which to file a petition for judicial review of same.
Rail Safety and Service Improvement Act of 1982 - Title II: Bankrupt Railroads - Bankrupt Railroad Service Preservation and Employee Protection Act of 1982 - Amends the Milwaukee Railroad Restructuring Act to provide a procedure for the acquisition of rail carrier lines subject to liquidation. Permits any person who is financially responsible and who has made a bona fide offer to acquire such rail line, and whose offer has been rejected by that carrier, to submit an application to the Interstate Commerce Commission seeking approval of acquisition of such carrier. Requires that a copy of such application be filed simultaneously with the appropriate bankruptcy court. Sets forth rules of procedure for the Commission upon receipt of such application.
Requires any person acquiring a rail line under this provision to use, to the maximum extent practicable, employees or former employees of the carrier in the operation of service. Prohibits such person from transferring or discontinuing service within four years of such acquisition.
Amends the Rock Island Railroad Transition and Employee Assistance Act to empower the Commission to authorize temporary operations over any rail carrier subject to a liquidation until the disposition of the properties of the estate of such carrier.
Requires the Secretary of Transportation and the representatives of the various classes and crafts of employees of the Rock Island Railroad to enter into an agreement to provide protection for employees adversely affected by reductions in service by such carrier. Directs the Secretary, in the event the parties are unable to come to agreement, to prescribe a schedule of benefits for employee protection. Limits the expenditure of funds under such schedule and terminates such assistance after April 1, 1984. Directs the Railroad Retirement Board to administer the distribution of such assistance.
Amends the Rock Island Railroad Transition and Employee Assistance Act to grant affected employees 120 days after the effective date of the agreement to provide a statement to the Board on whether they elect to receive such benefits.
Revises provisions of such Act relative to new career training assistance to conform to provisions of this Act. Repeals provisions relating to obligation guarantees.
Amends the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 to extend the central register of railroad employment from August 13, 1984 to August 13, 1985.
Applies the dispute resolution provisions of such Act to affected employees under the Milwaukee Railroad Restructuring Act and the Rock Island Railroad Transition and Employee Assistance Act. Grants such employees the right of first hire until April 1, 1984 (currently April 1, 1981), and January 1, 1984 (currently January 1, 1981), respectively.
Title III: Northeast Corridor Project - Authorizes the improvement in facilities for rail passenger service to Atlantic City, New Jersey. Makes sums available as may be required for numerous projects on the main line of the Northeast Corridor.
Permits authorized but unappropriated funds for a specific fiscal year to be carried forward and appropriated in excess of any authorization limit applicable to future fiscal years. Grants priority funding for FY 1983 through 1985 for main line service to Atlantic City, New Jersey and Boston, Massachusetts. Declares that such main line improvements shall not be undertaken as a substitute for improvements specified in a document entitled "Corridor Master Plan II, NECIP Restructed Program" prepared for the Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Northeast Corridor Improvement Project.
Sets forth requirements which must be met before the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK) grants further assistance for certain rail lines in New York.
Title IV: Railroad Financing - Amends the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 to extend the preference share program until September 30, 1985.
Makes financial assistance available for the purchase, lease, or rehabilitation by non-carrier entities of properties of the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) to be used for common carrier rail service, provided an application for a certificate of abandonment or notice of insufficient revenues has been filed with the ICC with respect to such rail service.
Makes funds available for the rehabilitation of the rail properties of the Delaware River Port Authority, upon application by the Authority.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1983 through 1985 for the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Fund.
Sets aside certain amounts for the purchase or refinancing of the purchase of a rail line of the Rock Island Railroad between the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas.
Title V: Miscellaneous - Amends the Department of Transportation Act to revise the method of determining State rail service entitlements.
Includes among the agricultural commodities that rail carriers may transport wood pulp, wood chips, and pulpwood.
Declares a specified portion of the Burnham Canal, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as nonnavigable.
Amends the Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981 and the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 to provide for reappropriations to conform to provisions of this Act.
Makes Conrail employees who are deprived of employment by an assumption or discontinuance of intercity passenger service by Amtrak eligible for employee protection benefits under the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973.
Makes railroad development criteria provisions of the Interstate Commerce Act applicable to provisions of this Act.
Authorizes appropriations for the Office of the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration for FY 1983.
Amends the Rail Passenger Service Act to transfer authority for the Northeast Corridor coordination from the Board of Directors of Amtrak Commuter to the Northeast Corridor Coordination Board.
Amends the Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981 to revise certain bankruptcy provisions relating to the Northeast Corridor.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to provide for the acquisition and rehabilitation of a specified feeder line which the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad has abandoned. Authorizes appropriations for such purposes.
Title VI: Alaska Railroad Transfer - Directs the Secretary to transfer the Alaska Railroad to the State of Alaska under specified terms. Sets forth the terms and conditions applicable to such transfer.
Reserves to the Alaska Railroad the right to use and occupy,, without compensation, the surface of the lands on the right-of-way of the Railroad within the Denali National Park and Preserve for terminal and other existing facilities. Subjects the use of such lands to laws and regulations regarding the protection of resources of the national park system.
Transfers to the Secretary of the Interior the right to use and occupy railroad land at Talkeetna, Alaska, for the National Park Service administrative activities.
Provides for a transition period during which the Secretary of Transportation and the Governor of Alaska shall jointly prepare and deliver to the Congress and the Alaska State Legislature a report on the rail properties being transferred in accordance with provisions of this Act.
Sets forth provisions to facilitate the railroad transfer notwithstanding various laws relative to Indian land claims.
Sets forth provisions to protect employees of the railroad who may be adversely affected by the transfer.
Declares that the State-owned railroad shall be under the jurisdiction of the ICC, and sets forth terms and conditions applicable to State operation.
Authorizes Alaska or the Railroad to request the appropriate Secretary to expeditiously approve the right to use and occupy the surface of the lands within that portion of the right-of-way of the Railroad located within any national forests for terminal and other railroad facilities.
Declares that if the State of Alaska abandons any rights pursuant to the Railroad transfer such rights shall be subject to judicial review and other specified provisions of this Act.
Repeals and amends existing statutes to conform to this Act.
Title VII: Rail Safety - Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1982 - Requires the Secretary within one year of enactment of this Act to issue regulations to insure that the construction, maintenance, and operation of railroad equipment maximize safety to rail passengers. Requires a report to Congress on such regulations.
Requires the Secretary, before March 1, 1983, to study and report to Congress on the training of on-board railroad operating and service personnel in evacuation procedures and the use of emergency equipment.
Amends the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 to direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations to apply safety principles to track used for commuter or other short-haul rail passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area.
Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on whether it should issue rules, regulations, orders, and standards requiring that leading railroad train cars in operation after July 1, 1983, be equipped with a mounted oscillating light.
Authorizes appropriations for the purposes of such Act for FY 1983 and 1984.
Revises provisions concerning the movement of railroad cars in need of repair.
Repeals the Act of May 30, 1908 (commonly referred to as the Ash Pan Act) concerning safety ash pans on locomotives.
Received in the Senate.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Regular Orders. Calendar No. 153.
Considered by Senate.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1099 with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1099 with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
Resolving differences -- House actions: House Insisted on its Amendments to the Senate Amendments.
House Insisted on its Amendments to the Senate Amendments.
House Requested a Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Jones (NC), Biaggi, Rodino, Snyder, McCloskey, Dingell, Florio, Lent.
Considered by Senate.
Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate concurred in the House amendments to the Senate amendment with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Senate concurred in the House amendments to the Senate amendment with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Enacted as Public Law 97-468
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Resolving differences -- House actions: House Agreed to Senate Amendments to House Amendments.
House Agreed to Senate Amendments to House Amendments.
Measure Signed in Senate.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Became Public Law No: 97-468.
Became Public Law No: 97-468.