Maritime Administration The Maritime Administration was established by Reorganization Plan No. 21 of 1950 (5 U.S.C. app.), effective May 24, 1950. The Maritime Act of 1981 (46 U.S.C. 1601) transferred the Maritime Administration to the Department of Transportation, effective August 6, 1981. The Maritime Administration administers programs to aid in the development, promotion, and operation of the U.S. merchant marine. It is also charged with organizing and directing emergency merchant ship operations. The Maritime Administration administers subsidy programs, through the Maritime Subsidy Board, under which the Federal Government, subject to statutory limitations, pays the difference between certain costs of operating ships under the U.S. flag and foreign competitive flags on essential services, and the difference between the costs of constructing ships in U.S. and foreign shipyards. It provides financing guarantees for the construction, reconstruction, and reconditioning of ships; and enters into capital construction fund agreements that grant tax deferrals on moneys to be used for the acquisition, construction, or reconstruction of ships. The Administration constructs or supervises the construction of merchant type ships for the Federal Government. It helps industry generate increased business for U.S. ships and conducts programs to develop ports, facilities, and intermodal transport, and to promote domestic shipping. Region CENTRAL REGION GREAT LAKES REGION The Administration conducts program and technical studies and administers a War Risk Insurance Program that insures operators and seamen against losses caused by hostile action if domestic commercial insurance is not available. Under emergency conditions the Maritime Administration charters Government-owned ships to U.S. operators, requisitions or procures ships owned by U.S. citizens, and allocates them to meet defense needs. It maintains a National Defense Reserve Fleet of Government-owned ships that it operates through ship managers and general agents when required in national defense interests. An element of this activity is the Ready Reserve Force consisting of a number of ships available for quick-response activation. It regulates sales to aliens and transfers to foreign registry of ships that are fully or partially owned by U.S. citizens. It also disposes of Government-owned ships found nonessential for national defense. The Administration operates the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY, where young people are trained to become merchant marine officers, and conducts training in shipboard firefighting at Earle, NJ, and Toledo, OH. It also administers a Federal assistance program for the maritime academies operated by California, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, and Texas. Field Organization-Maritime Administration Address Telephone NORTH ATLANTIC REGION Suite 2590, 365 Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70130-1137 504-589-6556 847-298-4535 212-264-1300 For further information, contact the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone, 202-366-5807. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation was established by act of May 13, 1954 (33 U.S.C. 981-990), as an operating administration of the Department of Transportation. The Corporation, a wholly Government-owned enterprise, is responsible for the development, operation, and maintenance of that part of the St. Lawrence Seaway between the port of Montreal and Lake Erie, within the territorial limits of the United States. It is the function of the Seaway Corporation to provide a safe, efficient, and effective water artery for maritime commerce, both in peacetime and in time of national emergency. Effective October 1, 1994, the collection of U.S. tolls for transit of Seaway facilities was waived. However, in accordance with For further information, contact the Director of Communications, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone, 202366-0091. Research and Special Programs Administration The Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) was established formally on September 23, 1977. It is responsible for hazardous materials transportation and pipeline safety, transportation emergency preparedness, safety training, and multimodal transportation research and development activities. Office of Hazardous Materials 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC The Office of Hazardous Materials Safety enforcement of regulations other than Regional Offices Office of Hazardous Materials Safety Region EASTERN Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, WESTERN-Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, SOUTHWESTERN-Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas Office of Pipeline Safety 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone, 202-366-4595 The Office of Pipeline Safety establishes and provides for compliance with standards that assure public safety and environmental protection in the transportation of gas and hazardous liquids by pipeline. The Office administers a program whereby a State agency can voluntarily assert safety Regional Offices regulatory jurisdiction over all or some intrastate pipeline facilities. The Federal Government is authorized to pay a State agency grant-in-aid funds of up to 50 percent of the actual cost for carrying out its pipeline safety program. The Office under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 established regulations requiring petroleum pipeline operators to prepare and submit plans to respond to oil spills for Federal review and approval. Office of Pipeline Safety Region CENTRAL-Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin EASTERN Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia SOUTHERN Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee SOUTHWEST-Arizona, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas WESTERN-Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming Office of Research, Technology, and Analysis 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone, 202-366-4434 The Office of Research, Technology, and Analysis serves as the principal adviser to the Administrator of RSPA on all research, technology, and analysis program activities as they relate to RSPA's mission, programs, objectives, and scientific and technological activities within RSPA. The Office oversees and directs the activities of the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI). university transportation centers and university research institutes. Office of Research Policy and 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone, 202-366-4208 The Office of Research Policy and Technology Transfer oversees the Department's entire research and development programs, and those technical assistance and technology sharing activities which bring the results of research and development to its users and establishes needs for future research. This responsibility includes coordination and oversight of the Department's technology transfer activities under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, as amended (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), relating to the transfer of federally funded technology to the marketplace. Transportation Safety Institute Department of Transportation, 6500 South McArthur Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73125. Phone, 405-954-3153 The Institute was established in 1971 by the Secretary of Transportation to support the Department's efforts to reduce the number and cost of transportation accidents by promoting safety and security management through education. The Institute is a primary source of transportation safety and security training and technical assistance on domestic and international levels for Department of Transportation elements, as well as other Federal, State, and local government agencies. Office of Emergency Transportation 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone, 202-366-5270 The Office of Emergency Transportation provides the staff to administer and execute the Secretary of Transportation's statutory and administrative responsibilities in the area of transportation civil emergency preparedness. It is the primary element of the Department engaged in the development, coordination, and review of policies, plans, and programs for attaining and maintaining a high state of Federal transportation emergency preparedness. This Office oversees the effective discharge of the Secretary's responsibilities in all emergencies affecting the national defense and in national or regional emergencies, including those caused by natural disasters and other crisis situations. Volpe National Transportation Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02142. The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), as part of RSPA, provides research, analysis, and systems capability to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and other agencies requiring expertise in national transportation and logistics programs. Integrated systems approaches are developed by Volpe Center to address Federal transportation issues of national importance. It does not appear as a line item in the Federal budget, but is funded directly by its sponsors. Volpe Center projects are therefore responsive to customer needs. The Center has come to be increasingly recognized by government, industry, and academia as a focal point for the assimilation, generation, and interchange of knowledge and understanding concerning national and international transportation and logistics systems. The Volpe Center is widely valued as a vital national resource for solving complex transportation and logistics problems. Based on shifting national priorities and availability of its resources, Volpe Center programmatic activities for DOT and other agencies vary from year to year. Volpe Center programs emphasize policy support and analysis, costeffective Government procurement, environmental protection and remediation, transportation safety and security, and infrastructure modernization. For further information, contact the Office of Program and Policy Support, Research and Special Programs Administration, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone, 202-366-4831. Bureau of Transportation Statistics The Bureau of Transportation Statistics The Bureau is mandated by ISTEA to: --compile, analyze, and publish statistics; -develop a long-term data collection program; -develop guidelines to improve the credibility and effectiveness of the Department's statistics; -represent transportation interests in the statistical community; -make statistics accessible and understandable; and -identify data needs. The Bureau acquired the Office of Airline Information (OAI) pursuant to DOT 1100.70 Chg. 1 and 60 FR 30195, in June of 1995. The Office collects air carrier financial and traffic data (passenger and freight) pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 329 and 41708. This information provides uniform and comprehensive economic and market data on individual airline operations. The Bureau is also responsible for collecting motor carrier financial data pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 14123 (Public Law 104-88). This function was transferred to BTS, effective January 1, 1996, after the termination of the Interstate Commerce Commission. For further information, call 202-366-DATA. Fax, 202-366-3640. Fax-on-demand, 800-671-8012. Internet, http://www.bts.gov/. E-mail, info@bts.gov. Gopher, gopher.bts.gov. Electronic bulletin board, 800-363 4BTS. Sources of Information Inquiries for information on the New London, CT 06320. Phone, 203444-8444. Information on the enlistment program and the Officer Candidate School may be obtained from the local recruiting offices or the Commandant (G-PRJ), U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, DC 20593. Phone, 202-267-1726. Persons interested in joining the Coast Guard Auxiliary may obtain information from the Commandant (G-NAB), U.S. |