Transportation Users Equity Act of 1981

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Transportation Users Equity Act of 1981 - Directs the Secretary of the Army, after public hearings and consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, to promulgate regulations establishing a user charge for shallow-draft cargo vessels that use any navigation project on any inland or intracoastal waterway of the United States. Requires that such charges be structured to recover, in the fifth year after the effective date of such charges, 25 percent of the Federal costs of the operation, maintenance, construction, and rehabilitation of all navigation projects maintained by the Secretary of the Army, through the Chief of Engineers. Sets forth methods by which such user charges may be collected. Establishes civil penalties for owners or operators of shallow-draft cargo vessels who fail to pay such charges. Specifies that funds collected by such charges shall be appropriated to the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.…