Enrolled SB 183: Amending the qualifications of ocean rangers who monitor marine discharge and pollution requirements aboard large commercial passenger vessels; authorizing the Department of Environmental Conservation to award grants for the control of air emissions or the development and administration of air quality control programs; and providing for an effective date.
00Enrolled SB 183 01 Amending the qualifications of ocean rangers who monitor marine discharge and pollution 02 requirements aboard large commercial passenger vessels; authorizing the Department of 03 Environmental Conservation to award grants for the control of air emissions or the 04 development and administration of air quality control programs; and providing for an 05 effective date. 06 _______________ 07 * Section 1. AS 46.03.476 is amended to read: 08 Sec. 46.03.476. Ocean Rangers. (a) An owner or operator of a large 09 commercial passenger vessel entering the marine waters of the state is required to have 10 an ocean ranger [A MARINE ENGINEER LICENSED BY THE UNITED STATES 11 COAST GUARD] hired or retained by the department on board the vessel to act as an 12 independent observer for the purpose of monitoring state and federal requirements 13 pertaining to marine discharge and pollution requirements and to insure that
01 passengers, crew, and residents at ports are protected from improper sanitation, health, 02 and safety practices. 03 (b) The ocean ranger [LICENSED MARINE ENGINEER] shall monitor, 04 observe, and record data and information related to the engineering, sanitation, and 05 health related operations of the vessel, including but not limited to registration, 06 reporting, record-keeping, and discharge functions required by state and federal law. 07 (c) Any information recorded or gathered by the ocean ranger [LICENSED 08 MARINE ENGINEER] shall be promptly conveyed to the Alaska Department of 09 Environmental Conservation and the United States Coast Guard on a form or in a 10 manner approved by the commissioner of environmental conservation. The 11 commissioner may share information gathered with other state and federal agencies. 12 * Sec. 2. AS 46.03.476 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 13 (d) In this section, "ocean ranger" means 14 (1) a marine engineer licensed by the United States Coast Guard; or 15 (2) a person who holds a degree in marine safety and environmental 16 protection, or an equivalent course of study approved by the department, from an 17 accredited maritime educational institution. 18 * Sec. 3. AS 46.14 is amended by adding a new section to read: 19 Sec. 46.14.535. Grants. (a) Subject to appropriation, the department may 20 award grants of federal or other funds received by the department for the control of air 21 emissions or the development or administration of air quality control programs in the 22 state. 23 (b) The department may adopt regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative 24 Procedure Act) to carry out the purposes of this section. 25 * Sec. 4. AS 46.14.535 is repealed January 1, 2011. 26 * Sec. 5. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).