by the United States government

“ The Secretary may collect and disseminate data for the designation and delineation of short sea transportation routes. `` (d) Project Designation.— The Secretary may designate a project to be a short sea transportation project if the Secretary determines that the project may— `` (1) offer a waterborne alternative to available landside transportation services using documented vessels; and `` (2) provide transportation services for passengers or freight (or both) that may reduce congestion on landside infrastructure using documented vessels. ”

“ The board shall include representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency and other Federal, State, and local governmental entities and private sector entities. ``Sec. 55604. Research on short sea transportation ``The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, may conduct research on short sea transportation, regarding— `` (1) the environmental and transportation benefits to be derived from short sea transportation alternatives for other forms of transportation ”