[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7818-S7819]
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-227. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly 
     of the State of Colorado relative to federal highway taxes 
     and demonstration projects; to the Committee on Environment 
     and Public Works.

                      Senate Joint Memorial 99-003

       Whereas, Due to the dynamics of state size, population, and 
     other factors such as federal land ownership and 
     international borders, there is a need for donor states that 
     pay more in federal highway taxes and fees than they receive 
     from the federal government and for donee states that receive 
     more moneys from the federal government than they pay in 
     federal highway taxes and fees; and
       Whereas, The existence of such donor and donee states 
     supports the maintenance of a successful nationwide 
     transportation system; and
       Whereas, There should be a uniform measure when considering 
     the donor and donee issue, and a ratio derived from the total 
     amount of moneys a state receives divided by the total amount 
     of moneys that the state collects in federal highway taxes 
     and fees is a clear and understandable measure; and
       Whereas, Demonstration projects are an ineffective use of 
     federal highway taxes and fees; and
       Whereas, All moneys residing in the federal highway trust 
     fund should be returned to the states either for use on the 
     national highway system or nationally uniform highway safety 
     improvement programs or as block grants; and
       Whereas, The state block grant program should allow states 
     to make the final decisions that affect the funding of their 
     local highway projects based on the statewide planning 
     process; and
       Whereas, Only a reasonable amount of the moneys collected 
     from the federal highway taxes and fees should be retained by 
     the United States Department of Transportation for safety and 
     research purposes; and
       Whereas, States with public land holdings should not be 
     penalized for receiving transportation funding through 
     federal land or national park transportation programs, and 
     such funding should not be included in the states' allocation 
     of moneys; and
       Whereas, The evasion of federal highway taxes and fees 
     further erodes the ability of the state and the federal 
     government to maintain an efficient nationwide transportation 
     system; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-second General Assembly 
     of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives 
     concurring herein:
       (1) That, when considering issues related to donor and 
     donee states, the federal government should adopt a ratio 
     derived from the total amount of moneys a state receives in 
     federal highway moneys divided by the total amount of moneys 
     the state collects in federal highway taxes and fees; and
       (2) That all demonstration projects should be eliminated; 
     and
       (3) That after federal moneys have been expended for the 
     national highway system and safety improvements, a state 
     block grant program should be established for the 
     distribution of remaining federal moneys;
       (4) That it is necessary to expand federal and state 
     activities to combat the evasion of federal highway taxes and 
     fees. Be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this Joint Memorial be transmitted 
     to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of 
     the United States House of Representatives, and to each 
     member of Colorado's delegation of the United States 
     Congress.
                                  ____

       POM-228. A resolution adopted by the House of the 
     Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to a permanent 
     repository for high-level nuclear waste; to the Committee on 
     Environment and Public Works.

                        House Resolution No. 56

       Whereas, Over the past four decades, nuclear power has 
     become a significant source for the nation's production of 
     electricity, Michigan is among the majority of states that 
     derive energy from nuclear plants; and
       Whereas, Since the earliest days of nuclear power, the 
     great dilemma associated with this technology is how to deal 
     with the waste material that is produced. This high-level 
     radioactive waste material demands exceptional care in all 
     facets of its storage and disposal, including the 
     transportation of this material; and
       Whereas, In 1982, Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy 
     Act of 1982. This legislation requires the federal 
     government, through the Department of Energy, to build a 
     facility for the permanent storage of high-level nuclear 
     waste. This act, which was amended in 1987, includes a 
     specific timetable to identify a suitable location and to 
     establish the waste facility. The costs for this undertaking 
     are to be paid from a fee that is assessed on all nuclear 
     energy produced; and
       Whereas, In accordance with the federal act, customers of 
     utilities operating nuclear plants in Michigan have 
     contributed, directly and through accumulated interest, some 
     $700 million for the construction and operation of a federal 
     waste facility; and
       Whereas, There are serious concerns that the federal 
     government is not complying with the timetables set forth in 
     federal law. Every delay places our country at greater risk, 
     because the large number of temporary sites at nuclear 
     facilities across the country makes us vulnerable to 
     potential problems. The Department of Energy, working with 
     the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, must not fail to meet its 
     obligation as provided by law. There is too much at stake; 
     now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the 
     United States Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory 
     Commission to fulfill their obligation to establish a 
     permanent repository for high-level nuclear waste; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the United States Department of Energy, the Nuclear 
     Regulatory Commission, the President of the United States, 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
       Adopted by the House of Representatives, May 5, 1999.
                                  ____

       POM-229. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Michigan relative to a permanent repository 
     for high-level nuclear waste; to the Committee on Environment 
     and Public Works.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 29

       Whereas, Over the past four decades, nuclear power has 
     become a significant source for the nation's production of 
     electricity, Michigan is among the majority of states that 
     derive energy from nuclear plants; and

[[Page S7819]]

       Whereas, Since the earliest days of nuclear power, the 
     great dilemma associated with this technology is how to deal 
     with the waste material that is produced. This high-level 
     radioactive waste material demands exceptional care in all 
     facets of its storage and disposal, including the 
     transportation of this material; and
       Whereas, In 1982, Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy 
     Act of 1982. This legislation requires the federal 
     government, through the Department of Energy, to build a 
     facility for the permanent storage of high-level nuclear 
     waste. This act, which was amended in 1987, includes a 
     specific timetable to identify a suitable location and to 
     establish the waste facility. The costs for this undertaking 
     are to be paid from a fee that is assessed on all nuclear 
     energy produced; and
       Whereas, In accordance with the federal act, customers of 
     utilities operating nuclear plants in Michigan have 
     contributed, directly and through accumulated interest, some 
     $700 million for the construction and operation of a federal 
     waste facility; and
       Whereas, There are serious concerns that the federal 
     government is not complying with the timetables set forth in 
     federal law. Every delay places our country at greater risk, 
     because the large number of temporary sites at nuclear 
     facilities across the country makes us vulnerable to 
     potential problems. The Department of Energy, working with 
     the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, must not fail to meet its 
     obligation as provided by law. There is too much at stake; 
     now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That we urge the United States Department of 
     Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to fulfill their 
     obligation to establish a permanent repository for high-level 
     nuclear waste; and be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to 
     the United States Department of Energy, the Nuclear 
     Regulatory Commission, the President of the United States, 
     the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 
     United States House of Representatives, and the members of 
     the Michigan congressional delegation.
       Adopted by the House of Representatives, May 5, 1999.
       Adopted by the Senate, May 20, 1999.
                                  ____

       POM-230. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Montana relative to national forest road closure 
     and obliteration; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources.

                       House Joint Resolution 26

       Whereas, there are 737 million acres of forested land 
     covering approximately one-third of the United States, a 
     nation that has created the largest legally protected 
     wilderness system in the world, while at the same time 
     sustaining a highly productive and efficient wood products 
     industry; and
       Whereas, the federal government owns approximately two-
     thirds of the land in western Montana and these lands are 
     primarily administered by the U.S. Forest Service; and
       Whereas, the management of federal lands has a direct 
     impact on economic and recreational opportunities and the 
     quality of life for thousands of Montana residents; and
       Whereas, Congress has declared in the federal Multiple-Use 
     Sustained-Yield Act of 1960 that national forests are 
     established and must be utilized for outdoor recreation, 
     range, timber, watershed, and wildlife and fishery purposes; 
     and
       Whereas, the national forest road system represents a 
     significant capital infrastructure investment and a valuable 
     existing forest asset for forest managers and the public, 
     providing access for a multitude of recreational 
     opportunities, for emergency response efforts, and for 
     resource management, protection, and improvement activities; 
     and
       Whereas, the federal government continues to close roads to 
     public access by motorized vehicles and, in early 1998, the 
     forest service proposed and is now planning to implement an 
     18-month moratorium on all new road building in roadless 
     areas pending a review of its road management policies; and
       Whereas, one stated purpose of the moratorium is to close 
     or obliterate existing roads, thus creating additional 
     defacto roadless areas contrary to the interests of Montana's 
     citizens; and
       Whereas, the scheduled destruction of nearly 2,000 miles of 
     roads in the 10 national forests in Montana can have 
     significant environmental, economic, and cultural impacts 
     upon the fabric of many Montana communities and its citizens; 
     and
       Whereas, 650 miles of forest system roads in the Flathead 
     National Forest alone have been scheduled for obliteration 
     and 200 miles have already been destroyed; and
       Whereas, destruction or obliteration of existing forest 
     system roads can cause short-term and long-term increased 
     discharges of sediment to streams, adversely affecting 
     certain sensitive or endangered fish species and resulting in 
     further restrictions on other multiple-use activities. Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of 
     the State of Montana:
       (1) That the 56th Montana Legislature opposes the current 
     administration's policy on national forest road closure and 
     obliteration and urges the immediate suspension of road 
     closure and obliteration activities.
       (2) That existing roads are a valuable and necessary 
     capital investment in public lands that should not be lost or 
     destroyed.
       (3) That forest plans specifying multiple-use management 
     for timber harvest, outdoor recreation, range, watershed, and 
     fish and wildlife values should be given priority as the 
     appropriate and necessary management guidance to the forest 
     service. Be it further
       Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent by the 
     Secretary of State to the Montana Congressional Delegation, 
     the Secretary of the federal Department of Interior, the 
     Secretary of the federal Department of Agriculture, the 
     Director of the United States Forest Service, the Director of 
     the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the President of 
     the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 
     House of Representatives, and the President and Vice 
     President of the United States.

                          ____________________