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Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-110

§983 Functions of Corporation

Title 33 › CHAPTER 19 — SAINT LAWRENCE SEAWAY › § 983

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Corporation must build deep-water navigation works in the U.S. part of the Saint Lawrence River. The project follows the “Controlled single stage project, 238–242” design with a 27-foot depth in channels and canals, locks at least 800 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 30 feet over the sills, plus needed dredging in the Thousand Islands. The Corporation must operate and maintain these works with the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada (created by an act assented to December 21, 1951). The Corporation cannot start construction until it gets assurances it finds acceptable that the Canadian Authority will finish the Canadian parts at about the same time and that New York (or its designee or another FERC licensee), together with a Canadian agency, will build the dams and power works approved by the International Joint Commission’s order of October 29, 1952 (docket 68) or any changes to that order. The Corporation must also make arrangements to coordinate its work with the Canadian Authority and with the New York designee or other FERC licensee that will build and operate the approved dams and power works.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §983

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Construction of deep-water navigation works in Saint Lawrence River; conditions precedent
The Corporation is authorized and directed to construct, in United States territory, deep-water navigation works substantially in accordance with the “Controlled single stage project, 238–242” (with a controlling depth of twenty-seven feet in channels and canals and locks at least eight hundred feet long, eighty feet wide, and thirty feet over the sills), designated as “works solely for navigation” in the joint report dated January 3, 1941, of the Canadian Temporary Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Basin Committee and the United States Saint Lawrence Advisory Committee, in the International Rapids section of the Saint Lawrence River together with necessary dredging in the Thousand Islands section; and to operate and maintain such works in coordination with the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada, created by chapter 24 of the acts of the fifth session of the Twenty-first Parliament of Canada 15–16, George VI (assented to December 21, 1951): Provided, That the Corporation shall not proceed with the aforesaid construction unless and until—
(1)the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada, provides assurances satisfactory to the Corporation that it will complete the Canadian portions of the navigation works authorized by section 10, chapter 24 of the acts of the fifth session of the Twenty-first Parliament of Canada 15–16, George VI, 1951, as nearly as possible concurrently with the completion of the works authorized by this section;
(2)the Corporation has received assurances satisfactory to it that the State of New York, or an entity duly designated by it, or other licensee of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, in conjunction with an appropriate agency in Canada, as nearly as possible concurrently with the navigation works herein authorized, will construct and complete the dams and power works approved by the International Joint Commission in its order of October 29, 1952 (docket 68) or any amendment or modification thereof.
(b)Coordination of activities regarding power proj­ects
The Corporation shall make necessary arrangements to assure the coordination of its activities with those of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada and the entity designated by the State of New York, or other licensee of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, authorized to construct and operate the dams and power works authorized by the International Joint Commission in its order of October 29, 1952 (docket 68) or any amendment or modification thereof.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

“Federal Energy Regulatory Commission” substituted for “Federal Power Commission” in subsecs. (a)(2) and (b), on authority of Pub. L. 95–91, title IV, § 402(a)(1)(A), Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 583, which is classified to section 7172(a)(1)(A) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 983

Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110