H-1910              _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4019

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Haugen, Allen, Jacobsen and Wineberry

Read first time 2/18/87 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 Environmental Protection Agency is designated by the federal government as the agency responsible for the protection of our coastal environment; and

          WHEREAS, An ever-increasing body of evidence is indicating that Tributyltin-based antifouling paints can cause significant harm to the environment, especially shellfish; and

          WHEREAS, The Environmental Protection Agency has the expert staff necessary to prepare and distribute appropriate informative and educational materials on the use of antifouling paint and its potential adverse impacts on our marine environments; and

          WHEREAS, The Pacific Fisheries Legislative Task Force is willing to assist with the coordination and development in the preparation and distribution of educational materials; and

          WHEREAS, The failure to take such informative and preventative steps could lead to the ultimate regulation at either the state or federal level to eliminate or reduce significantly the potentially devastating adverse impacts on the environment and the related domestic fishing economics; and

          WHEREAS, Similar education leaflets such as "Don't Foul Things Up" have previously been prepared by the Royal Yachting Association in cooperation with the United Kingdom Department of the Environment and other bodies to serve as examples and guides;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Pacific Fisheries Legislative Task Force call upon and encourage the Environmental Protection Agency to devote all necessary staff and effort to prepare and distribute at the earliest possible date appropriate information and educational materials on antifouling paints to further the protection of our marine environment and to help foster a positive economic climate especially since less-environmentally damaging options are available.

          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 to each member of the United States Senate and House of Representatives from Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.