[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3303 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3303

To amend title 46, United States Code, to require that houseboats that 
  have on board an electric power generator shall be equipped with a 
                    carbon monoxide venting system.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 15, 2001

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 46, United States Code, to require that houseboats that 
  have on board an electric power generator shall be equipped with a 
                    carbon monoxide venting system.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Following the fatalities of 2 young boys on Lake Powell 
        in August 2000, numerous investigations and studies have been 
        performed to determine the potential danger that carbon 
        monoxide poses to houseboat users. The results of an 
        interagency compilation of case reports indicates 22 carbon 
        monoxide-related fatalities and 149 nonfatal cases of carbon 
        monoxide poisoning on houseboats in United States waters.
            (2) A study performed by the National Institute for 
        Occupational Safety and Health under the Centers for Disease 
        Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human 
        Services, reported in August 2001, showed that exhausting 
        houseboat generators through dry stack exhaust configurations 
        resulted in a reduction in carbon monoxide concentrations on 
        houseboats of approximately 99 percent when compared to the 
        rear exhaust configuration. Peak concentrations on the upper 
        deck of a houseboat exceeded the American Conference of 
        Governmental Industrial Hygienists excursion limit of 125 parts 
        per million for the side and rear exhaust configurations, but 
        were dramatically lower for the stack exhaust.
            (3) When 3 houseboats were tied together, the dry stack 
        exhaust configuration showed carbon monoxide average 
        concentrations ranging from 6 to 14 parts per million, compared 
        to 104 to 777 parts per million for side and rear exhaust 
        configurations.
            (4) Average concentrations provide a solid comparison 
        between generator exhaust configurations. However, peak 
        exposures provide information more relevant to the important 
        health hazards.
            (5) When several houseboats were tied together, and using a 
        combination of rear and side exhaust ports, peak concentrations 
        of carbon monoxide on the swim platforms exceeded the National 
        Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Immediately 
        Dangerous to Life and Health standard of 1,200 parts per 
        million.
            (6) The final findings of the August 2001 study and prior 
        National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health studies 
        indicate that houseboats retrofitted with a generator exhaust 
        stack that extends well above the upper deck will greatly 
        reduce the risk of generator-related carbon monoxide poisoning 
        and possible death to individuals on or near the houseboat.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT THAT HOUSEBOATS BE EQUIPPED WITH CARBON MONOXIDE 
              VENTING SYSTEM.

    (a) Requirement.--Chapter 45 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3507. Carbon monoxide venting from houseboats
    ``(a) A houseboat that has on board an electric power generator 
shall be equipped with--
            ``(1) a dry stack system; or
            ``(2) another system to vent carbon monoxide that has been 
        certified by the Secretary or the National Institute for 
        Occupational Safety and Health as being at least as effective 
        as a dry stack system in reducing the hazard of carbon monoxide 
        exposure to individuals located on or near the houseboat.
    ``(b) In this section:
            ``(1) The term `dry stack system' means an electric power 
        generator exhaust stack that extends at least 9 feet above the 
        highest deck of a vessel.
            ``(2) The term `houseboat' means, as specified in 
        regulations issued by the Secretary--
                    ``(A) a small passenger vessel; and
                    ``(B) a recreational vessel described in paragraph 
                (25)(B) of section 2101 of this title.''.
    (b) Application.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply 
after the expiration of the 180-day period beginning on the effective 
date of regulations issued by the Secretary to implement this section.
    (c) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
            (1) issue regulations implementing this section; or
            (2) report to the Congress regarding why such regulations 
        have not been issued.
    (d) Secretary Defined.--In this section the term ``Secretary'' has 
the meaning given that term by section 2101 of title 46, United States 
Code.
                                 <all>