GENERAL AUTHORITY OF DISTRICT.

A district may:

(1) exercise all the rights, powers, and authority granted by this chapter and by the general and special laws relating to navigation districts;

(2) exercise all powers relating to regulation of wharfage and facilities connected with waterways and ports inside the district to the fullest extent consistent with the Texas Constitution;

(3) acquire, purchase, own, construct, enlarge, extend, repair, maintain, operate, develop, and regulate land, waterways, improvements, facilities, or aids incident to or necessary in the proper operation and development of ports and waterways in the district, including wharves, docks, warehouses, commercial and industrial buildings, grain elevators, bunkering facilities, belt railroads, floating plants and facilities, lightering facilities, towing facilities, and all appurtenances;

(4) hire, rent, convey, lease, and otherwise make available to any person the improvements of the district;

(5) assess and collect charges for use of all facilities acquired or constructed in accordance with this chapter and apply the amounts collected for maintenance and operation of the business of the district, to make the district self-supporting and financially solvent, and to retire the construction cost of the improvements within a reasonable period;

(6) enter into valid and binding contracts to apply revenues, over and above the maintenance and operation costs, which are derived from sources other than taxation, to pay principal and interest on bonds;

(7) enter into contracts with the United States for loans and grants on terms and conditions necessary to comply with regulations and requirements of the United States under federal law; and

(8) issue bonds, notes, warrants, certificates of indebtedness, and other forms of obligation payable from revenues derived from improvements and pledge these revenues to the payment of the district's debts in the manner provided in Subchapter E of Chapter 60 of this code.