[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3014 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3014

 To amend title 46, United States Code, to ensure the safety of barges 
carrying oil or hazardous material in bulk on lakes, bays, or sounds of 
 the United States, by establishing equipment and manning requirements 
                           for those barges.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 5, 1996

Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, and Mr. Gejdenson) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                   Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 46, United States Code, to ensure the safety of barges 
carrying oil or hazardous material in bulk on lakes, bays, or sounds of 
 the United States, by establishing equipment and manning requirements 
                           for those barges.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Barge Safety Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN BARGES CARRYING OIL OR 
              HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IN BULK.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 37 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 3719. Special requirements for tank barges
    ``(a) A tank barge carrying oil or hazardous material on lakes, 
bays, or sounds in the United States shall be--
            ``(1) equipped with an operable anchor system, including--
                    ``(A) an anchor that is suitable for a seagoing 
                barge;
                    ``(B) an anchor chain; and
                    ``(C) a windlass; and
            ``(2) manned.
    ``(b) Subsection (a)(2) does not apply to a tank barge that is 
equipped with a double hull.
    ``(c) The Secretary shall issue regulations implementing this 
section, including regulations prescribing--
            ``(1) dimensions for anchors required under this section; 
        and
            ``(2) training requirements for individuals manning tank 
        barges under this section.
    ``(d) In this section, the term `tank barge' means a barge that is 
a tank vessel.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 33 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new item:

``3719. Special requirements for tank barges.''.
    (c) Effective Date of Amendments.--The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
    (d) Issuance of Regulations.--The Secretary shall issue regulations 
required by the amendments made by this section by not later than 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>