[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3377 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3377

     To improve the safety of houseboat generator exhaust systems.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 29, 2001

Mr. Hayworth (for himself, Mr. McInnis, and Mr. Shadegg) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
                           and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To improve the safety of houseboat generator exhaust systems.

    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 ``Houseboat Safety Improvement Act of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) In studies conducted in June 2001, the National 
        Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) determined 
        that the open space under a houseboat's swim platform, or area 
        directly around the back of the swim platform, can have carbon 
        monoxide concentrations above the ``Immediately Dangerous to 
        Life and Health'' level, if the onboard gasoline generator is 
        in operation.
            (2) Based on the data that the National Institute for 
        Occupational Safety and Health collected, an exhaust stack that 
        extends well above the upper deck of a houseboat appears to be 
        a reliable and cost-effective solution that is capable of 
        dramatically reducing carbon monoxide hazards.
            (3) The National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
        Health found that while evaluating a single stationary boat, 
        average carbon monoxide concentrations on the lower rear deck 
        of the houseboat were reduced by about 99 percent through use 
        of a vertical stack exhaust system, compared with a rear 
        exhaust system.
            (4) At least 111 carbon monoxide poisonings have occurred 
        between 1990 and 2000 on or near boats on Lake Powell, in 
        Arizona and Utah.

SEC. 3. HOUSEBOAT GENERATOR EXHAUST SAFETY RULES.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Commandant of the Coast Guard, in consultation with the National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, shall prescribe the 
following rules regarding houseboat generator exhaust safety:
            (1) Safety standard.--A rule setting a standard for 
        houseboat generator exhaust safety that will ensure that carbon 
        monoxide from such exhaust is not expelled in a manner that 
        would impair the safety of the occupants of the houseboat or 
        swimmers near and around the houseboat.
            (2) Manufacture.--A rule requiring a houseboat manufactured 
        after a date specified by the Commandant of the Coast Guard to 
        meet the requirements of the safety standard prescribed under 
        paragraph (1).
            (3) Recall and retrofit.--A rule requiring the manufacturer 
        of any houseboat that does not comply with the safety standard 
        prescribed under paragraph (1) to issue a recall for any such 
        houseboat in order to retrofit the houseboat so that it is in 
        compliance with that standard. The cost to the houseboat owner 
        must not exceed the actual cost of the retrofit to the 
        manufacturer (or any other person performing the retrofit).
            (4) Safety warning.--A rule requiring any person who 
        commercially rents a houseboat, and any person who commercially 
        sells a used houseboat, to another person to inform the other 
        person of the potential hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning 
        from houseboat generator exhaust, particularly for the 
        occupants of the houseboat or swimmers near and around the 
        houseboat, if the houseboat--
                    (A) was manufactured prior to the date set for the 
                beginning of manufacture of houseboats that comply with 
                the standard issued under paragraph (1), in accordance 
                with the rule prescribed under paragraph (2); and
                    (B) has not been retrofitted to comply with the 
                standard issued under paragraph (1).
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