RS 34:1652

§1652. Rights and powers of the commission A. The commission shall exercise the powers herein conferred upon it within the port area, consisting of the entire tenth ward of the parish of Lafourche as the boundaries and limits of said ward are presently fixed by law. B. The commission may authorize a reasonable travel allowance for its members in the performance of their official duties. C. The commission shall regulate the commerce and traffic within the port area in such manner as may, in its judgment, be for the best interest of the port area. Title to all property and improvements thereon acquired by the commission shall vest in the commission. The commission is hereby vested with authority to: (1) Employ such officers, agents and employees as it deems necessary for the performance of its powers and duties, and may prescribe the powers and duties and fix the compensation of such officers, agents and employees. (2) Contract, upon such terms as it may agree upon, for legal, financial, engineering and other professional services necessary or expedient in the conduct of its affairs. (3) Utilize the services of the executive departments of the state upon mutually agreeable terms and conditions. (4) Own, administer, construct, acquire, operate and maintain docks, wharves, landings, elevators, sheds, warehouses, basins, locks, slips, laterals, canals, levees and all other property, structures, equipment, facilities and works of public improvements necessary and proper for the use and development of the business of the commission. (5) Maintain proper depths of water at all wharves and landings, and dredge and maintain shipways, bayous, waterways, channels, slips, basins and turning basins. (6) Establish harbor lines within the port area by agreement with the United States Corps of Engineers, and establish, operate and maintain navigable waterway systems in cooperation with the federal government, the state of Louisiana and its various agencies, subdivisions and public bodies. (7) Construct, own, operate and maintain terminal rail facilities and other common carrier rail facilities for the purpose of rendering rail transportation to and from the facilities to be erected, owned and operated by the commission in both intrastate and interstate commerce. (8) Acquire by right of eminent domain, purchase, lease or otherwise, the land that may be necessary for the business of the commission. (9) Acquire by purchase, lease or otherwise, industrial plant sites and necessary property or appurtenances therefor, and acquire or construct industrial plant buildings, with necessary machinery and equipment, within the port area. (10) Receive by gift, grant, donation, or otherwise any sum of money, or property, aid or assistance from the United States, the state of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, or any person, firm or corporation. (11) Provide such light, water, police protection and other services for its facilities as it deems advisable. (12) Establish and charge reasonable fees, rates, tariffs or other charges for the use of all facilities administered by it and for all services rendered by it. (13) Charge for each copy of any certificate issued by it or by any of its officers or employees for inspecting hatches, surveying cargo, or making other surveys or inspections of vessels in the port area, but shall furnish, without charge, to the master of each such vessel, one copy of all surveys upon his vessel or cargo. (14) Charge a reasonable fee to each vessel arriving in ballast or carrying cargo of any kind. (15) Make and enter into contracts, leases and other agreements with railroads, trucking companies, barge lines and with any and all companies interested in the transportation, storage or shipping of goods and other products, whether by rail, truck line, barge line, ocean going vessels or otherwise, for the use of facilities administered by the commission or any part or portion thereof, for a period not exceeding forty years; provided, however, that no exclusive franchise shall be granted to any carrier. (16) Lease or sublease for processing, manufacturing, commercial or business purposes, lands or buildings owned, acquired or leased as lessee by it, which leases may run for any term not exceeding forty years at a fixed rental, but may run for a term not exceeding ninety-nine years provided they shall contain a clause or clauses for readjustment of the rentals upon the expiration of a primary term of forty years. (17) Borrow from any person or corporation using or renting any facility of the commission such sums as shall be necessary to improve the same and to erect and construct such improvements, and agree that the loan therefor shall be liquidated by deducting from the rent, dockage, wharfage or tollage charges payable for such property, a percentage thereof to be agreed on, subject, however, to any covenants or agreements made with the holders of revenue bonds issued under the authority hereinafter set forth. (18) Mortgage properties constructed or acquired by the commission, and mortgage and pledge any lease or leases and the rents, income and other advantages arising out of any lease or leases granted, assigned or subleased by the commission. (19) Sell immovable property owned by the commission after legal notice as provided by law for the judicial sale of immovable property. (20)(a) Make and enter into agreements, including cooperative endeavor agreements, with the Department of Transportation and Development, the state of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, or any private entities and corporations, upon such terms as it may agree upon, to make improvements to highway and bridge infrastructure and provide for the operation thereof along Louisiana Highway 1 from the vicinity of its junction with Louisiana Highway 3235 at the southern end of Golden Meadow, Louisiana, to the Jefferson Parish line at Grand Isle, Louisiana, and Louisiana Highway 3090. (b) The commission may receive by gift, grant, donation, special dedication, or otherwise any sum of money, property, aid, or assistance from the United States, the state of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof or any person, firm, or corporation for the financing and funding of highway and bridge infrastructure improvements along Louisiana Highway 1 from the vicinity of its junction with Louisiana Highway 3235 at the southern end of Golden Meadow, Louisiana, to the Jefferson Parish line at Grand Isle, Louisiana, and Louisiana Highway 3090. The commission may utilize any existing funding mechanisms for such highway and bridge infrastructure improvements and shall be further authorized to utilize new and innovative funding mechanisms including but not limited to toll collections, and further, the commission shall be deemed to constitute an authority as defined in R.S. 48:2021 with the powers and duties of an authority as set forth in the Louisiana Transportation Development Act and as further provided in R.S. 34:1662. (c) Highway and bridge infrastructure improvements along the routes referred to in this Paragraph include but shall not be limited to additional capacity projects along the existing highway alignment, additional capacity projects along new highway alignments, and construction of new or improvements to existing bridge structures. The commission may also establish the direction of travel and set minimum speed limits and maximum weight limitations on such highway or bridge infrastructure improvements. (21) Exercise all powers which may be exercised by an airport district as provided in R.S. 2:326 through 329 and 331 within the geographical jurisdiction of the commission. (22) Do any and all things necessary or proper for the government, regulation, development, and control of the business of the commission. D. The commission is hereby further vested with and granted all powers capable of being delegated by the legislature under Article 14, Section 31 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1921, as amended and continued in effect by the Louisiana Constitution of 1974.1 Added by Acts 1960, No. 222, §1. Amended by Acts 1976, No. 160, §2; Acts 2001, No. 364, §1; Acts 2003, No. 105, §1, eff. May 28, 2003. 1Now R.S. 34:340.1 et seq.