The commission has powers and duties over the port area, including regulating commerce and traffic, administering facilities, charging fees, and making contracts, but its authority does not extend to certain existing waterfront facilities or pilotage provisions.
§3253. 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 town of Grand Isle as the boundaries and limits of said town are presently or hereafter fixed by law and all of Ward 11 of Jefferson Parish; provided however, that the power and jurisdiction of said commission shall not apply or extend to any existing publicly or privately owned wharf, dock, warehouse, elevator or any facility or industrial structure constructed on or adjacent to any navigable waterway, natural or man-made, or the replacement, improvement and operation thereof by the owners, lessees, permittees, or the successors and assigns thereof; provided further that nothing herein shall affect R.S. 34:991 through 34:1004 relative to pilotage. B. The commission may authorize a reasonable travel allowance for its members in the performance of their official duties, and it may employ such officers, agents and employees as it may find necessary in the performance of its duties, and may prescribe the duties, powers and compensation of such officers, agents and employees. The commission may upon such terms as may be agreed upon, contract for legal, financial, engineering and other professional services necessary or expedient in the conduct of its affairs, and it may, upon terms and conditions mutually agreeable, utilize the services of the executive departments of the state. C. The commission may regulate commerce and traffic within the port area in such manner as may, in its judgment, be for the best interest of the port area. It shall have charge of and administer public wharves, docks, sheds and landings and shall be empowered to construct or acquire and equip wharves and landings and other structures useful for the commerce of the port area and to provide mechanical facilities therefor; to erect sheds or other structures on such wharves and landings; to maintain proper depths of water at all such wharves and landings; to provide light, water, police protection and other services for its facilities as it may deem advisable; to construct or acquire, maintain and operate basins, locks, canals, warehouses and elevators; to charge for the use of all facilities administered by it and for all services rendered by it, such fees, rates, tariffs or other charges as it may establish; to establish harbor lines within the port area by agreement with the United States Corps of Engineers; and to 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. The legislature may confer additional powers upon the commission, not inconsistent with the provisions hereof; provided, however, that it shall not impair any contract lawfully entered into by the commission. Title to all property and improvements thereon operated by the commission shall vest in the port commission. D. The commission may charge a reasonable fee to each vessel using the public facilities administered by the commission. It also may 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 using the public facilities administered by the commission but shall furnish, without charge, to the master of each vessel one copy of all surveys upon his vessel or cargo. E. The commission shall have authority to 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 and 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 of time not exceeding forty years. No exclusive franchise, however, shall be granted to any carrier. Added by Acts 1982, No. 864, §2.