04/26/2001 01:53 PM House FIN

HB 260    An Act requiring the owners or operators of                                                                           
          certain passenger  vessels operating in  the marine                                                                   
          waters  of  the  state  to  register  the  vessels;                                                                   
          establishing     information-gathering,      record                                                                   
          keeping,  and  reporting requirements  relating  to                                                                   
          the  vessels' gray  water  and sewage;  prohibiting                                                                   
          the discharge of untreated  sewage from the vessels                                                                   
          unless  exempted; placing  limits on discharges  of                                                                   
          treated  sewage  and gray  water  from the  vessels                                                                   
          unless   exempted;    establishing   a   commercial                                                                   
          passenger    vessel   coastal   protection    fund;                                                                   
          establishing   a   fee  on   commercial   passenger                                                                   
          vessels,  that are  not  exempt from  the fee,  for                                                                   
          each  voyage during  which the  vessels operate  in                                                                   
          the  marine  waters  of  the  state  based  on  the                                                                   
          overnight  accommodation  capacity  of the  vessels                                                                   
          determined  with reference to  the number  of lower                                                                   
          berths;  establishing   penalties  for  failure  to                                                                   
          comply with  certain laws relating to  the vessels;                                                                   
          authorizing   the   Department   of   Environmental                                                                   
          Conservation  to encourage  and recognize  superior                                                                   
          environmental   protection   efforts   related   to                                                                   
          commercial    passenger     vessels;    authorizing                                                                   
          exemptions  from some  laws relating to  discharges                                                                   
          from  the vessels  and  from the  fee  requirements                                                                   
          related  to the  vessels; requiring  a report  from                                                                   
          the   Department  of   Environmental   Conservation                                                                   
          concerning  matters  relating to  the vessels;  and                                                                   
          providing for an effective date.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
          HB 260 was RESCHEDULED for a hearing at a later                                                                       
          date.