The Interstate Ferry Fairness Act would amend federal highway law to make privately owned and majority privately owned ferry boats and ferry terminal facilities eligible for participation in the federal Ferry Boat Program. Under current law, the program is oriented toward public ownership or operation; this bill would expand eligibility to certain private or majority-private ferry projects, especially those operating between two adjoining states or serving routes that connect public roads. It also clarifies that eligible projects may include both car-and-passenger ferries and passenger-only ferries.
The bill would also revise how federal participation can be structured for these projects. In addition to allowing federal support for construction or purchase of ferry boats and terminals, it would permit federal participation in privately owned assets for qualifying interstate ferry services. For privately owned or majority privately owned ferries operating between adjoining states, the bill would allow fares sufficient to cover operating, maintenance, repair, debt service, management fees, and a Secretary-determined reasonable rate of return, with revenues generally required to be applied to those costs. Conforming amendments would update related grant and ferry construction provisions, and the changes would take effect one year after enactment for the affected private or majority-private ferry facilities.
Impact
The bill would amend sections 129, 133, and 147 of title 23, United States Code, broadening the class of entities and projects eligible for federal ferry funding and related transportation assistance. It would shift federal ferry policy from a primarily public-ownership model to one that also accommodates certain private and majority-private interstate ferry operators and terminals, while preserving federal oversight through Secretary determinations about public benefits and reasonable rates of return. The practical effect would be to open federal program eligibility to additional ferry operators and infrastructure projects, particularly those serving interstate routes.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the available sentiment appears neutral-to-supportive in concept, with the measure framed as a fairness and eligibility expansion rather than a major policy overhaul. The title and structure suggest an effort to address access to federal support for interstate ferry services that are privately operated or financed. No formal opposition, amendments, or recorded roll-call votes are provided in the available materials.
Contention
The main policy issue is whether federal ferry funding should extend to privately owned or majority privately owned facilities, since current law emphasizes public ownership or operation. Potential points of contention include the role of private profit in a federally supported transportation program, the Secretary of Transportation’s discretion to determine whether a project provides substantial public benefits, and the allowance for a reasonable rate of return on privately owned interstate ferries. Another possible issue is whether expanding eligibility could divert limited federal resources from publicly owned ferry systems or create uneven treatment between public and private operators.