12-R311
2012 -- S 2871
Enacted 05/31/12
S E N A T E R E
S O L U T I O N
RESPECTFULLY
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT TO
ESTABLISH A
Introduced By: Senator John J. Tassoni
Date Introduced: April 12, 2012
WHEREAS, In the past, the
exercises known as sinking exercises; and
WHEREAS, Now the
obsolete ex-military vessels that allows the vessels to serve
in a productive capacity for fifty years
past their intended use; and
WHEREAS, The National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 allows
appropriate obsolete ships to be donated for use as artificial
reefs, which not only promotes
marine life and fishing, but also relieves pressure on
natural ocean bottom features and reefs; and
WHEREAS, The United
States Maritime Administration (MARAD) will coordinate the
federal agency solicitation and application for obtaining the
vessels for use as artificial reefs; and
WHEREAS, The donation and transfer application for all ex-military
and MARAD ships
available for use as artificial reefs may be submitted only by
states, commonwealths, and
territories and possessions of the United States, or municipal
corporations or political
subdivisions thereof; and
WHEREAS, The placements in
the U.S.S Oriskany in 2006, and
the U.S.S. General Hoyt S. Vandenberg in 2009 have
already
provided substantial economic and ecologic benefit to the
state, communities, and businesses in
the proximity of the placements; and
WHEREAS, Each state within the
military, MARAD, and other ships available for use as
artificial reefs, formally reports marked
increases in permanent job creation and increased tax revenues
through ecotourism, global media
attention, television productions, documentaries, and
supporting industries; and
WHEREAS, Since 1984, the New Jersey Bureau of Marine Fisheries has
been involved
in an intensive program of artificial reef construction
and biological monitoring, which includes
15 artificial reef sites. This network of artificial
reefs provides a hard substrate for fish, shellfish
and crustaceans, fishing grounds for anglers, and
underwater structures for scuba divers; and
WHEREAS,
Management Plan (SAMP), a collection of locations open to the public in
includes four themes: Marine Recreation in the SAMP area;
Cruise Ship Tourism, Recreational
Activities Adjacent to the SAMP area; Cruise Ship
Tourism, Recreational Activities Adjacent to
the SAMP area; and Economic and Non-Market Value of
Recreation and Tourism in the SAMP
area. This resolution would add a new, fifth theme to the
Ocean Special Area Management Plan,
a vessel Artificial Reef theme; and
WHEREAS, The program provides a practical option for disposing of
obsolete vessels in
a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner that
can continue to promote ecotourism
associated with recreational diving and fishing in
RESOLVED,
That this Senate of the State of
respectfully requests the Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management (DEM) to
adopt regulations regarding the placement of vessels in
state waters to form artificial reefs and
development of a pilot program for the preparation and deployment
of a specified obsolete vessel
in
of such vessels in
RESOLVED,
That this Senate respectfully requests the DEM to
establish a pilot program
for the preparation and deployment of obsolete
ex-military, MARAD, or other vessels in the
waters of Block Island Sound and shall, by January 1, 2014,
and each year thereafter for a period
of five years, provide to the governor, the president of
the senate, and the speaker of the house of
representatives an annual report on the success and outcomes,
funding, and recommendations as
to whether the pilot program shall be continued,
terminated, or expanded; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is
authorized and directed to
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor
and the Director of the Rhode
Island
Department of Environmental Management.
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LC02356
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