§554 Property for development or operation of a port facility

Summary

Allows the federal government to give surplus real property to the Secretary of Transportation to build or run a port. The General Services Administrator, after talking with the Secretary of Defense, can assign such property, or the Secretary of Defense can do so for property on a military base closed under a base closure law. The Transportation Secretary can then transfer the property to a State, local government, or state agency, unless the Administrator or the Secretary of Defense objects within 30 days after being told about the proposed transfer. Transfers can happen only after the Transportation Secretary finds the area has serious economic problems (after consulting the Secretary of Labor), approves an economic development plan (after consulting the Secretary of Commerce), and sends Congress an explanatory statement similar to one required under section 545(e). Definitions: "base closure law" means the term as defined in 10 U.S.C. 101(a)(17). "State" includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Transfers are made without payment to the federal government. The deed must require the property be used and kept for the stated port purpose forever, and the government may take back any part that stops being used for that purpose. The Transportation Secretary enforces and can change or release deed terms if the property no longer serves the conveyed purpose, possibly with conditions to protect the government's interests.