[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 128 (Thursday, August 3, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11322-S11323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and 
were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-270. A resolution adopted by the Greater Ketchikan 
     Chamber of Commerce of the City of Ketchikan, Alaska relative 
     to the Tongass National Forest; to the Committee on Energy 
     and Natural Resources.
       POM-271. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                    ``Senate Joint Resolution No. 6

       ``Whereas, the exploration and development of mineral 
     resources in the United States has provided a significant 
     benefit to the residents of the United States; and
       ``Whereas, the mining industry of the United States 
     provides steady, high-paying jobs for thousands of Americans, 
     and through its operations pays millions of dollars in taxes; 
     and
       ``Whereas, the mining industry in the State of Nevada makes 
     significant contributions to the strength of the economy of 
     this state; and
       ``Whereas, the basic tenets of the General Mining Law of 
     1872, 30 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 22 et seq., continue to be of 
     critical importance in encouraging the development of hard 
     rock minerals; and

[[Page S 11323]]

       ``Whereas, under existing laws and regulations, the various 
     regulatory agencies of the Federal Government and of the 
     several states have substantial authority to control and 
     monitor effectively the impact of mining and mining 
     exploration; and
       ``Whereas, states located in the western United States have 
     enacted comprehensive regulatory programs, enforced in 
     conjunction with federal agencies for land management, which 
     set forth the criteria for issuing permits to, and the 
     exploration, development and reclamation of, mining 
     operations and which contain provisions for the protection of 
     surface and ground water, the designation of uses of land 
     after mining operations are completed, the availability of 
     financial resources and public notice and review of decisions 
     made concerning mining operations; and
       ``Whereas, a bill has been introduced in the Senate of the 
     United States, S. 506, which proposes to reform extensively 
     the laws governing mining in the United States in a manner 
     that would protect the valuable mining industry; and
       ``Whereas, S. 506 is a bipartisan bill which is supported 
     by the entire Nevada Congressional Delegation; and
       ``Whereas, if enacted, S. 506 would raise millions of 
     dollars for the treasury of the United States, require mining 
     operations to comply with all applicable federal and state 
     environmental laws and standards for reclamation, establish a 
     program for abandoned mines, abolish the moratorium currently 
     imposed on the issuance of patents and require the Secretary 
     of the Interior to resume the processing of pending 
     applications for patents: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada, 
     jointly, That the Nevada Legislature hereby expresses its 
     support for the activities and operations of all mining 
     industries in Nevada; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Nevada Legislature hereby expresses its 
     support for the provisions of S. 506 which reasonably and 
     progressively reforms the existing federal laws governing 
     mining; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of 
     the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives and each member of 
     the Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further
       Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage and approval.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-272. A resolution adopted by the Council of the City of 
     Gig Harbor, Washington relative to spent nuclear fuel; to the 
     Committee on Environment and Public Works.
       POM-273. A resolution adopted by the Assembly of the 
     Fairbanks North Star Borough of the City of Fairbanks, Alaska 
     relative to the Clean Water Act; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.
       POM-274. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Nevada; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                    ``Senate Joint Resolution No. 26

       ``Whereas, recent studies performed by the Nevada 
     Department of Transportation indicate that approximately 
     8,000 vehicles pass over Hoover Dam daily and that 
     approximately 70 percent of those vehicles are commercial and 
     other vehicles using U.S. Highway No. 93 as a conduit to Las 
     Vegas, rather than to bring tourists and visitors to Hoover 
     Dam; and
       ``Whereas, the heavy traffic flow over Hoover Dam and 
     through Boulder City has resulted in significant increases in 
     the level of air pollution and the number of traffic 
     accidents in the area; and
       ``Whereas, a study cited by the Las Vegas Sun on November 
     11, 1991, indicated that an average of 1,434 tons of 
     hazardous materials, including gasoline, diesel fuel, 
     hydrochloric acid, cyanide and chlorine, are transported 
     daily over Hoover Dam and through Boulder City; and
       ``Whereas, such a heavy flow of large trucks transporting 
     highly flammable or hazardous materials, or both, 
     significantly increases the chances that a major accident 
     could occur near Hoover Dam or in Boulder City; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       ``Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of 
     Nevada, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of Nevada 
     hereby urges Congress to take all necessary actions to 
     alleviate the problems caused by the heavy commercial traffic 
     over Hoover Dam and through Boulder City, including, without 
     limitation, the construction of a highway bypass around 
     Hoover Dam and Boulder City which would connect U.S. Highway 
     No. 93 in Nevada to Interstate Highway No. 40 in California 
     as a means of:
       1. Diverting the heavy flow of trucks transporting highly 
     flammable or hazardous materials, or both, and the heavy flow 
     of regular traffic from traveling over Hoover Dam and through 
     Boulder City;
       2. Preventing further air pollution in the area;
       3. Reducing the number of traffic accidents in the area;
       4. Reserving the portion of U.S. Highway No. 93 over Hoover 
     Dam to accommodate the traffic of tourists and visitors to 
     the dam; and
       5. Preventing the pollution of the Colorado River from 
     spill into the river related to the heavy flow of such 
     traffic;
     and be it further
       ``Resolved, That the Legislature hereby directs the Nevada 
     Department of Transportation to cooperate with the 
     appropriate public agencies to accomplish the construction of 
     the highway bypass between U.S. Highway No. 93 in Nevada and 
     Interstate Highway No. 40 in California, or the improvement 
     of U.S. Highway No. 95 in Nevada and California, if those 
     projects are approved by Congress; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate of the State 
     of Nevada prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to 
     the Vice President of the United States as the presiding 
     officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, each member of the Nevada Congressional 
     Delegation and the Director of the Nevada Department of 
     Transportation; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon 
     passage and approval.''
                                                                    ____

       POM-275. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Maine; to the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works.

                           ``Joint Resolution

       ``Whereas, section 211(k)(1) of the federal Clean Air Act 
     required the United States Environmental Protection Agency to 
     promulgate regulations establishing requirements for 
     reformulated gasoline that reduce emissions of volatile 
     organic compounds and toxics to the greatest extent 
     achievable ``taking into consideration the cost of achieving 
     such emission reductions, any non-air quality and other air 
     quality related health and environmental impacts and energy 
     requirements''; and
       ``Whereas, the Clean Air Act requires that such gasoline 
     contain a minimum oxygen content of 2.0% by weight; and
       ``Whereas, one of the ingredients commonly used to meet the 
     2.0% oxygen content standard, namely methyl tertiary butyl 
     ether, or MTBE, is suspected of increasing health risks due 
     to contamination of water and air; and
       ``Whereas, the increased oxygen content decreases vehicle 
     performance; and
       ``Whereas, the Administrator of the United States 
     Environmental Protection Agency has the authority and a duty 
     to control the contents of gasoline; Now, therefore, be it
       ``Resolved, That We, your Memorialists, respectfully urge 
     and request that the Administrator of the United States 
     Environmental Protection Agency revise the regulations for 
     certification of reformulated gasoline to minimize or 
     prohibit use of oxygenates and to achieve the statutory goals 
     of reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds and 
     toxics by means other than increasing the oxygen content of 
     gasoline; and be it further
       ``Resolved, That suitable copies of this Memorial, duly 
     authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to 
     the Honorable Carol Browner, Administrator of the United 
     States Environmental Protection Agency, the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 
     Congress of the United States, and each member of the Maine 
     Congressional Delegation. The Secretary of State shall send a 
     copy of this Memorial to the governor and the legislative 
     leaders of each state that is a member of the ozone transport 
     region, created in Section 184 of the federal Clean Air 
     Act.''
       POM-276. A resolution adopted by the Board of Commissioners 
     of Pamlico County, North Carolina relative to tobacco; to the 
     Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
     

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