00 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 7                                                                                                  
01 Opposing a proposed international convention classifying coal as a hazardous and                                        
02 noxious material.                                                                                                       
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:                                                                         
04  WHEREAS the International Maritime Organization (IMO), an organization under the                                       
05 auspices of the United Nations, is currently drafting proposals for an international treaty                             
06 adopting and expanding insurance indemnity provisions for seaborne commodities; and                                     
07  WHEREAS, in contrast to existing maritime classifications and the policies and                                         
08 regulations of the United States Department of Transportation and the United States Coast                               
09 Guard, the IMO proposes classifying coal as a hazardous and noxious material; and                                       
10  WHEREAS there is no rational reason or precedent for classifying coal as a hazardous                                   
11 or noxious material and the current maritime insurance has, without exception, adequately                               
12 provided insurance indemnity for seaborne coal shipping; and                                                            
13  WHEREAS action classifying coal as a hazardous or noxious material could                                               
14 significantly increase insurance rates and the delivered cost of coal to the benefit of competing                       
01 fuel sources; and                                                                                                       
02  WHEREAS this action would dramatically reduce the competitiveness of coal as an                                        
03 import fuel and reduce the amount of exported coal from countries such as the United States;                            
04 and                                                                                                                     
05  WHEREAS this action would reduce the potential for the export of Alaska coal; and                                      
06  WHEREAS the National Coal Association, the United States Coal Exporters                                                
07 Association, and the Alaska Coal Association, together with labor organizations, adamantly                              
08 oppose the IMO proposal; and                                                                                            
09  WHEREAS it is critical that United States government representatives to the IMO                                        
10 convention oppose the classification of coal as a hazardous or noxious material;                                        
11  BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives respectfully urges the United                                         
12 States Senate not to ratify a Hazardous and Noxious Substance Convention proposed by the                                
13 International Maritime Organization that includes coal as a designated hazardous or noxious                             
14 material.                                                                                                               
15  COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Al Gore, Jr., Vice-President                                  
16 of the United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Bob Dole, Majority                                 
17 Leader of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore of the U.S.                              
18 Senate; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators,                              
19 and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in                                   
20 Congress.