congressional_record: CREC-1996-10-21-pt1-PgS12466
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| granule_id | date | congress | session | volume | issue | title | chamber | granule_class | sub_granule_class | page_start | page_end | speakers | bills | citation | full_text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CREC-1996-10-21-pt1-PgS12466 | 1996-10-21 | 104 | 2 | THE NEED FOR BALLAST MANAGEMENT--H.R. 4283 | SENATE | SENATE | ALLOTHER | S12466 | S12467 | [{"name": "John H. Glenn Jr.", "role": "speaking"}, {"name": "Larry Pressler", "role": "speaking"}] | [{"congress": "104", "type": "HR", "number": "3217"}, {"congress": "104", "type": "HR", "number": "3217"}, {"congress": "104", "type": "HR", "number": "4283"}, {"congress": "104", "type": "HR", "number": "4283"}, {"congress": "104", "type": "HR", "number": "4283"}] | 142 Cong. Rec. S12466 | Congressional Record, Volume 142 Issue 143 (Monday, October 21, 1996) [Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 143 (Monday, October 21, 1996)] [Senate] [Pages S12466-S12467] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] THE NEED FOR BALLAST MANAGEMENT--H.R. 4283 Mr. GLENN. I thank the Senator from South Dakota for his efforts in responding to the urgent national need for ballast management to prevent unintentional introduction of nonnative species into U.S. waters. As you know, some Senators raised concerns about the initial House-passed version of the National Invasive Species Act [H.R. 3217] because it does not give assurance that onerous requirements will not be imposed upon vessels that exercise the safety exemption from national ballast exchange requirements. This version, [H.R. 4283], rectifies that problem. The Great Lakes Program which already leaves sole discretion over safety to the ship master, and already requires alternatives if high seas exchange is not possible, will not be affected by this amendment. I ask the Senator, is it his opinion that the Coast Guard will actively seek to identify alternatives of which vessels may avail themselves in other coastal regions, and will it request vessels to conduct these alternative precautions on a voluntary basis in the new national program? Mr. PRESSLER. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation that has jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard, I would expect the Coast Guard to actively seek alternatives applicable to other regions, routinely identify those alternatives to ballast exchange for vessels which use the safety exemption, and encourage their use prior to discharging unexchanged water in the port of call. Mr. GLENN. I also ask the Senator, if he believes that the Coast Guard will keep careful records regarding the extent to which the safety exemption is utilized, under what circumstances, and the extent to which vessels attempt in good faith to use alternatives that may be identified? Mr. PRESSLER. Yes, I expect the Coast Guard to include each of those items in its reporting requirements, and to include a careful assessment of those matters in its report to Congress so that Congress can make decisions regarding the impact of this exemption and the need for revision of the law. Mr. GLENN. As I mentioned, the Great Lakes Program currently requires alternatives to ballast exchange if high seas exchange is not possible due to safety concerns. While these alternatives are not overly onerous, I can understand industry's concern in other regions where the alternatives have not yet been developed. A cooperative relationship between the Committee of Environment and Public Works at the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation is crucial to the passage of this legislation and its effective implementation. I hope that these two Committees that share jurisdiction over this issue continue to work together to evaluate progress under the National Invasive Species Act. Mr. PRESSLER. I look forward to a continued cooperative relationship between the two committees as well as with the bill author and cosponsors. Mr. GLENN. H.R. 4283 includes an exemption from the National Ballast Management Program for crude oil tankers engaged in coastwise trade. While the majority of this trade is conducted between Hawaii and Alaska, the risk to receiving waters of ballast water from these vessels may be significant. As the Senator knows, there is concern that fish pathogens may have been transported to Alaskan waters via this trade. I would hope that every effort will be made to study the baseline conditions of the Prince William Sound ecosystem to assure that invasive species problems in fact have [[Page S12467]] not been arising from this trade, and will not arise in the future. Mr. PRESSLER. I join the Senator in urging such a study. ____________________ |