00                      HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 47                                                                     
01 Urging the United States Coast Guard to amend its regulations relating to small vessels                                 
02 transporting fuel and supplies to remote communities and businesses in the state.                                       
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
04       WHEREAS many towns, villages, and settlements, as well as businesses in those                                   
05 towns, villages, and settlements, are located in remote areas of the state; and                                         
06       WHEREAS not all communities, businesses, and individual residences in the state are                             
07 able to receive goods and supplies on large barges; and                                                                 
08       WHEREAS there is a need in the state for delivery of goods and supplies to isolated                             
09 communities and businesses that cannot be served by large barges; and                                                   
10       WHEREAS, because of the state's unique geography, 46 U.S.C. 3302(i)(1) allows for                             
11 single vessel exemptions from certain Coast Guard regulations relating to transportation and                            
12 delivery of cargo in the state; and                                                                                     
13       WHEREAS many isolated communities and businesses rely on smaller vessels, rather                                
14 than large tug-and-barge operations, to survive; and                                                                    
15       WHEREAS vessels used to transport small quantities of fuel in shallow coastal water                             
16 of the state are most appropriately built using modern construction methods and light                                   

01 materials; and                                                                                                          
02       WHEREAS there is a need in the state for smaller vessels to carry fuel, cargo, and                              
03 passengers at the same time; and                                                                                        
04       WHEREAS federal regulations in 46 C.F.R. Chapter 1, Subchapters D, I, and T, do                                 
05 not allow smaller vessels in the state to carry fuel, cargo, and passengers concurrently, unless                        
06 granted an exemption under 46 U.S.C. 3302(i)(1);                                                                        
07       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the United States Coast                                  
08 Guard to amend its regulations to allow small vessels to transport concurrently fuel, cargo,                            
09 and passengers for delivery to remote communities and businesses in the state; and be it                                
10       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the United States                                      
11 Coast Guard to adopt regulations that allow for vessels used to transport small quantities of                           
12 fuel to be constructed of aluminum.                                                                                     
13       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Janet A. Napolitano, United                            
14 States Secretary of Homeland Security; Admiral Thad W. Allen, Commandant, United States                                 
15 Coast Guard; and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the Honorable Mark Begich, U.S.                                       
16 Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska                                       
17 delegation in Congress.