§ 3794 — Procedures

(a) The Commission shall publish in the Federal Register notice of any proposed change in the rules of measurement or rates of tolls referred to in section 3791 of this title. The Commission shall give interested parties an opportunity to participate in the proceedings through submission of written data, views, or arguments, and participation in a public hearing to be held not less than 30 days after the date of publication of the notice. The notice shall include the substance of the proposed change and a statement of the time, place, and nature of the proceedings. At the time of publication of such notice, the Commission shall make available to the public an analysis showing the basis and justification for the proposed change, which, in the case of a change in rates of tolls, shall indicate the conformity of the existing and proposed rates of tolls with the requirements of section 3792 of this title, and the Commission’s adherence to the requirement for full consideration of the following factors set forth in Understanding (1) incorporated in the Resolution of Ratification of the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal (adopted by the United States Senate on March 16, 1978): (1) the costs of operating and maintaining the Panama Canal; (2) the competitive position of the use of the Canal in relation to other means of transportation; (3) the interests of the United States and the Republic of Panama in maintaining their domestic fleets; (4) the impact of such a change in rates of tolls on the various geographical areas of each of the two countries; and (5) the interests of both countries in maximizing their international commerce. (b) After consideration of the relevant matter presented, the Commission may revise the proposed rules of measurement or rates of tolls, as the case may be, except that, in the case of rates of tolls, if such revision proposes rates greater than those originally proposed, a new analysis of the proposed rates shall be made available to the public, and a new notice of the revised proposal shall be published in the Federal Register apprising interested persons of the opportunity to participate further in the proceedings through submission of written data, views, or arguments, and participation in a public hearing to be held not less than 30 days after the date of publication of the new notice. The procedure set forth in this subsection shall be followed for any subsequent revision of the proposed rates of tolls by the Commission which proposes rates higher than those in the preceding proposal. (c) After the proceedings have been conducted pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), the Commission may change the rules of measurement or rates of tolls, as the case may be. The Commission shall publish notice of any such change in the Federal Register not less than 30 days before the effective date of the change. (d) Action to change the rules of measurement for the Panama Canal or the rates of tolls for the use of the Canal pursuant to this part shall be subject to judicial review in accordance with chapter 7 of title 5.