((a)) ** .—** The Secretary, in consultation with Federal entities, State and local governments, Tribal governments, and appropriate private sector entities, may develop strategies to encourage the use of marine highway transportation for transportation of passengers and cargo.
((b)) ** .—** If the Secretary develops strategies under subsection (a), the Secretary may—
((1)) assess the extent to which States, local governments, and Tribal governments include marine highway transportation and other marine transportation solutions in transportation planning;
((2)) encourage State and Tribal departments of transportation to develop strategies, where appropriate, to incorporate marine highway transportation, ferries, and other marine transportation solutions for regional and interstate transport of freight and passengers in transportation planning; and
((3)) encourage groups of States, Tribal governments, and multistate transportation entities to determine how marine highways can address congestion, bottlenecks, and other interstate transportation challenges.