[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 84 (Monday, June 26, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H4525-H4526]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CORRECTING THE ENROLLMENT OF H.R. 889
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
concur in the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 103) to
correct the enrollment of the bill H.R. 889.
The Clerk read as follows:
S. Con. Res. 103
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That in the enrollment of the bill H.R. 889, the
Clerk of the House of Representatives shall make the
following corrections:
(1) In the table of contents in section 2, strike the item
relating to section 414 and insert the following:
``Sec. 414. Navigational safety of certain facilities.''.
(2) Strike section 414 and insert the following:
``SEC. 414. NAVIGATIONAL SAFETY OF CERTAIN FACILITIES.
``(a) Consideration of Alternatives.--In reviewing a lease,
easement, or right-of-way for an offshore wind energy
facility in Nantucket Sound under section 8(p) of the Outer
Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(p)), not later
than 60 days before the date established by the Secretary of
the Interior for publication of a draft environmental impact
statement, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall specify
the reasonable terms and conditions the Commandant determines
to be necessary to provide for navigational safety with
respect to the proposed lease, easement, or right-of-way and
each alternative to the proposed lease, easement, or right-
of-way considered by the Secretary.
``(b) Inclusion of Necessary Terms and Conditions.--In
granting a lease, easement, or right-of-way for an offshore
wind energy facility in Nantucket Sound under section 8(p) of
the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(p)),
the Secretary shall incorporate in the lease, easement, or
right-of-way reasonable terms and conditions the Commandant
determines to be necessary to provide for navigational
safety.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.
General Leave
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on Senate Concurrent Resolution
103.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alaska?
There was no objection.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Senate Concurrent Resolution 103 clarifies the intent of
the conferees that the Coast Guard review and assess the impacts of any
proposed offshore energy facility on the navigation safety in Nantucket
Sound and on the service's capabilities to conduct missions within and
near the proposed facility.
The resolution will require the Coast Guard to establish terms and
conditions that are necessary to safeguard recreational and commercial
vessel traffic in Nantucket Sound before any draft environmental impact
statement is made available for public review.
The resolution also provides that these terms and conditions will be
incorporated into the requirements of any lease that is granted for the
construction of a proposed offshore facility.
This provision will allow us to develop offshore alternative energy
resources in a way that does not jeopardize the safety and security of
the maritime community in Nantucket Sound.
I urge my colleagues to support this concurrent resolution and to
support the underlying resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution will make changes to the Coast Guard
conference report that reflects the compromise agreement that was
worked out concerning the Cape Wind project.
It will allow the Commandant of the Coast Guard to set the terms and
conditions on any leasing of Federal waters in Nantucket Sound that may
be necessary to protect navigational safety. For example, over 3
million passengers ride ferries that transit through Nantucket Sound,
and it is vitally important to protect the navigational safety of those
vessels.
Recent emergencies have reminded us once again why a well-funded and
fully operational Coast Guard is paramount for protecting the citizens
of this Nation.
The 2006 Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act conference
report has been delayed for far too long. We are all glad to see that a
fair agreement based on navigational safety has been worked out and
that this bill will now move to the President's desk for signature.
I encourage all my colleagues to support this fair resolution and
support full funding for the Coast Guard.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. At this time I yield whatever time he may
consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble).
Mr. COBLE. I thank the gentleman from Alaska, the distinguished
chairman of the full committee.
Mr. Young, I want to commend you and Mr. LoBiondo, the distinguished
gentleman from New Jersey, for having chaired the full committee and
the Coast Guard subcommittee, along with your respective ranking
members, Mr. Oberstar, the gentleman from Minnesota; and Mr. Filner,
the gentleman from California. You all have done notable work.
Chairman Young, you and I have talked about this before, but I
believe the U.S. Coast Guard probably more than any other Federal
entity assumes additional duties time after time without corresponding
increased appropriations. I told the Commandant the other day, Admiral
Allen, I said, You must
[[Page H4526]]
have a magic wand down there, because you all continue to discharge
duty after duty, oftentimes newly assigned duties, with the same amount
of money. And I don't know how they do it, but they do.
I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
concur in the Senate concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 103.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate concurrent resolution
was concurred in.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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