04/19/1995 03:38 PM Senate RES

        SR   2 OPPOSE COAL AS HAZARDOUS/NOXIOUS SUBSTNCE                      
                                                                              
 SENATOR LEMAN announced SR 2 to be up for consideration.                      
                                                                               
 CHARLES BODDY, Alaska Coal Association and Usibelli Coal Mine, said           
 other coal producing states are doing the same thing in their state           
 legislatures to get a message clearly sent to the U.S. Congress and           
 the administration of the significance of the international                   
 maritime organizations seeking to include coal as a hazardous and             
 noxious material.  This issue is of importance to the board rooms             
 of every coal producer in the U.S..  That the proposed tariff would           
 be $4 per ton every time it's loaded or unloaded, which happens at            
 least three times, is a lot considering they are fighting over                
 pennies to stay in the marketplace.                                           
                                                                               
 Every person dealing with coal as a bulk commodity for shipment has           
 come out against it.  The International Convention on Pollution               
 From Ships has never classified coal as a hazardous material.  All            
 of the treaties and conventions that deal with coal being shipped             
 or transported as a bulk commodity have always excluded coal as a             
 dangerous, hazardous, or noxious material, MR. BODDY said.                    
                                                                               
 There have been no spills of record that have ever seen any                   
 problems caused in either the marine environment or along any                 
 coastline ecosystems.                                                         
                                                                               
 MR. BODDY said the Clinton administration is divided on the issue.            
 The Department of Justice and the U.S. Coast Guard are inclined to            
 favor coal as a noxious and hazardous substance, although in a                
 different classification within the treaty system with more                   
 concerns revolving around the safety and health issues and                    
 spontaneous combustion.  The maritime administration for the U.S.             
 Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce and the              
 Department of Energy all favor the exclusion.