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1 1 (October 13, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govehus0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Updated October 13,2021 Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction The Coast Guard's Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) programenvis ages procuring 30replacements for the Coast Guard's 35 aging river buoy tenders (WLRs), inland construction tenders (W LICs), and inland buoy tenders (WLs). The Coast Guard wants to award the first contract for cons tructing the new WCCs in FY2022, and to have the first new WCC be in service by 2025. The Coast Guard's proposed FY2022 budgetrequests $67.0 million in procurement funding for the WCCprogram. The is suefor Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Coast Guard's proposed acquisition strategy and funding requests for the WCCprogram. Terminology Cutters are Coast Guard vessels that are more than 65 feet long and have accommodations for a crew. (Those less than 65 feet long are called boats.) Waterways refers here to the intra-coastal waterways along the U.S. East and Gulf coasts, and to U.S. inland waterways such as the Missis sippi River. Tenders are vessels whose primary mission is to maintain orrepairsomething. Coast Guard tender designations begin with WL, meaning Coast Guard vessel (W) and tender (L). (The W in the acronymWCC, however, stands for waterways.) WCC Missions WCCs performthree primary missions under the Coast Guard's statutory role of providing aids to navigation (ATON): river buoy tending; inland construction tending (which involves driving and removing piles and erecting and repairing range towers and major lights); and inland buoy tending. WCCs are used for maintaining more than 28,200 marine aids to navigation on 12,000 miles of inland waterways onwhich630million tons ofcargo move each year. AdditionalW CC missions include search andres cue (SAR), marine safety, marine environmental protection, and ports, waterways, and coastal security. Existing Waterways Cutters The Coast Guard's 35 existing WCCs (one of which is shown in Figure 1), are built to nine different designs, and include 18 WLRs, 13 WLICs, and 4 WLIs.As of2020, the 35 vessels were an average of56 years old, with the oldest two being 76 and 75 years old, the youngest two being 30 years old, and the others 44 to 66 years old. Geographic Distribution As of2019, the 18 WLRs were based at cities along the Mis s is sippi and other inland rivers in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky (two cutters), Mis sissippi (three cutters), Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee (four cutters). Although these locations are in the central and eastern United States, therivers in question are referred to by the Coast Guard as the wes ternrivers. As of2019, the 13 WLICs were based at cities along the U.S. East and Gulf coasts in Alabama, Florida (three cutters), Louisiana (two cutters), Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas (three cutters), and Virginia. As of 2019, the four WLIs were based at locations in Alaska, Michigan, Oregon, andNorth Carolina. Figure I. Coast Guard River Buoy Tender(WLR) Source: Coast Guard photograph. Rationale for Building New WCCs The Coast Guard states in its FY2022 budget submis sion that it wants to replace the 35existing waterways cutters with new WCCs becausein addition to age concerns and the associated equipment obsolescence issues, the legacy fleet presents other sustainment challenges, including hazardous materials stemming fromthe use of asbestos and lead paint during construction of these assets, some of which are over 55 years old. Outdated technology and vessel designs have led to crew safety concerns, maintenance cost increases, and non-compliance with environmentalregulations. Finally, legacy vessel configuration does not allow the assignment of mixed gender crews in accordance with the Coast Guard's workforce goals. WCC Program Program Initiation and Name The WCCprogramwas initiated in the Coast Guard's FY2018 budget submis sion. It was earlier called the Inland Waterways and Western Rivers Tender (or Cutter) program, and some budget documents may continue to use thatnant. Acquisition Strategy The Coast Guard wants to replace the 35 existing waterway commerce cutters with 30new W CCs, including 16W LRs, 11 WLICs, and 3 WLIs. The Coast Guard wants the first new W CC to enter service by 2025, and for all the W CCs to

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