H-1783              _______________________________________________

                                            HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 21

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representative J. King

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The mix of foreign and domestic shipping at west coast ports is an important aspect of the economic health and vitality of our nation and of the respective states; and

          WHEREAS, The regulation of vessels and marine affairs which is not achieved by consensus and cooperation among the states and federal government causes confusion and conflict to vessel operators, and can negatively impact state and federal efforts to increase the use of western ports for foreign trade; and

          WHEREAS, Air emission standards imposed by various federal, state, and local entities are a complicated and confusing set of policies which affect domestic and foreign vessels differently; and

          WHEREAS, The Clean Air Act is an example of a law which is unclear as to whether states and local jurisdictions are preempted from imposing vessel air emission standards; and

          WHEREAS, Seventy percent of vessel activity of the west coast and in Washington is by foreign flag vessels, the air emissions of which cannot be successfully regulated by states or local government; and

          WHEREAS, Practice has been for the United States to deal internationally with foreign governments regarding agreements concerning maritime issues such as the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and pollution controls; and

          WHEREAS, Uniformity is desirable in vessel air emission standards so as not to be discriminatory against domestic vessels and the operators;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that:

          (1) The Congress of the United States undertake or direct the United States Coast Guard to undertake a study on vessel air emission standards which recognizes the importance of uniformity and its effect on foreign trade;

          (2) The Congress and its committees and subcommittees involve the individual states, local governments, and the maritime community in the undertaking of such a study;

          (3) The delegations to Congress form Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California work together closely on vessel air emissions, as are their state legislators through the National Conference of State Legislatures, to assist both federal and state efforts to enhance international and Pacific Rim trade.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.