[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2105 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2105

  To restrict the closure of Coast Guard small boat stations, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 24, 1995

  Mr. Studds introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To restrict the closure of Coast Guard small boat stations, and for 
                            other purposes.
    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. RESTRICTIONS ON CLOSURE OF SMALL BOAT STATIONS.

    (a) Certification.--The Secretary of Transportation shall not 
close, consolidate, or reduce to seasonal status any Coast Guard multi-
mission small boat station unless the Secretary has certified that such 
action will not result in degradation of services that would cause 
significant increased threat to life, property, environment, public 
safety, or national security. The certification shall include--
            (1) a description of regional or local weather and marine 
        conditions that could affect the need for Coast Guard services 
        including water temperature, prevailing weather conditions, and 
        unusual tide and current conditions;
            (2) an evaluation of the level and type of waterborne 
        activities, including activities involving recreational 
        boaters, commercial vessels, and commercial fishermen, which 
        was considered in reaching the conclusion that such action will 
        not result in degradation of services that would cause a 
        significant increased threat to life, property, environment, 
        public safety, or national security;
            (3) a detailed comparison of the services provided within 
        the service area and the services to be provided after such 
        action, including but not limited to services related to search 
        and rescue, recreational boating safety, enforcement of laws 
        and treaties, marine environmental safety, port safety and 
        security, aids to navigation, and military readiness; and
            (4) a transition plan, developed in consultation with State 
        and local officials and members of the public for the areas 
        affected by the closure to ensure that the Coast Guard service 
        needs of the area continue to be met.
    (b) Public Review.--Each certification decision shall be preceded 
by--
            (1) publication in the Federal Register of a proposed 
        certification; and
            (2) a 60-day period after such publication during which the 
        public may provide comments to the Secretary on the proposed 
        certification.
    (c) Final Decision.--If after consideration of the public comment 
received under subsection (b) the Secretary decides to close, 
consolidate, or reduce to seasonal status any such small-boat station, 
the Secretary shall publish a final certification in the Federal 
Register and submit the certification to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
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