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[Page: S7818]  GPO's PDF
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   The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

   POM-227. A joint resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado relative to federal highway taxes and demonstration projects; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

   Senate Joint Memorial 99-003

   Whereas, Due to the dynamics of state size, population, and other factors such as federal land ownership and international borders, there is a need for donor states that pay more in federal highway taxes and fees than they receive from the federal government and for donee states that receive more moneys from the federal government than they pay in federal highway taxes and fees; and

   Whereas, The existence of such donor and donee states supports the maintenance of a successful nationwide transportation system; and

   Whereas, There should be a uniform measure when considering the donor and donee issue, and a ratio derived from the total amount of moneys a state receives divided by the total amount of moneys that the state collects in federal highway taxes and fees is a clear and understandable measure; and

   Whereas, Demonstration projects are an ineffective use of federal highway taxes and fees; and

   Whereas, All moneys residing in the federal highway trust fund should be returned to the states either for use on the national highway system or nationally uniform highway safety improvement programs or as block grants; and

   Whereas, The state block grant program should allow states to make the final decisions that affect the funding of their local highway projects based on the statewide planning process; and

   Whereas, Only a reasonable amount of the moneys collected from the federal highway taxes and fees should be retained by the United States Department of Transportation for safety and research purposes; and

   Whereas, States with public land holdings should not be penalized for receiving transportation funding through federal land or national park transportation programs, and such funding should not be included in the states' allocation of moneys; and

   Whereas, The evasion of federal highway taxes and fees further erodes the ability of the state and the federal government to maintain an efficient nationwide transportation system; now, therefore, be it

   Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-second General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:

   (1) That, when considering issues related to donor and donee states, the federal government should adopt a ratio derived from the total amount of moneys a state receives in federal highway moneys divided by the total amount of moneys the state collects in federal highway taxes and fees; and

   (2) That all demonstration projects should be eliminated; and

   (3) That after federal moneys have been expended for the national highway system and safety improvements, a state block grant program should be established for the distribution of remaining federal moneys;

   (4) That it is necessary to expand federal and state activities to combat the evasion of federal highway taxes and fees. Be it further

   Resolved, That copies of this Joint Memorial be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of Colorado's delegation of the United States Congress.

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   POM-228. A resolution adopted by the House of the Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to a permanent repository for high-level nuclear waste; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

   House Resolution No. 56

   Whereas, Over the past four decades, nuclear power has become a significant source for the nation's production of electricity, Michigan is among the majority of states that derive energy from nuclear plants; and

   Whereas, Since the earliest days of nuclear power, the great dilemma associated with this technology is how to deal with the waste material that is produced. This high-level radioactive waste material demands exceptional care in all facets of its storage and disposal, including the transportation of this material; and

   Whereas, In 1982, Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. This legislation requires the federal government, through the Department of Energy, to build a facility for the permanent storage of high-level nuclear waste. This act, which was amended in 1987, includes a specific timetable to identify a suitable location and to establish the waste facility. The costs for this undertaking are to be paid from a fee that is assessed on all nuclear energy produced; and

   Whereas, In accordance with the federal act, customers of utilities operating nuclear plants in Michigan have contributed, directly and through accumulated interest, some $700 million for the construction and operation of a federal waste facility; and

   Whereas, There are serious concerns that the federal government is not complying with the timetables set forth in federal law. Every delay places our country at greater risk, because the large number of temporary sites at nuclear facilities across the country makes us vulnerable to potential problems. The Department of Energy, working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, must not fail to meet its obligation as provided by law. There is too much at stake; now, therefore, be it

   Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the United States Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to fulfill their obligation to establish a permanent repository for high-level nuclear waste; and be it further

   Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the United States Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

   Adopted by the House of Representatives, May 5, 1999.

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   POM-229. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Michigan relative to a permanent repository for high-level nuclear waste; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

   House Concurrent Resolution No. 29

   Whereas, Over the past four decades, nuclear power has become a significant source for the nation's production of electricity, Michigan is among the majority of states that derive energy from nuclear plants; and

[Page: S7819]  GPO's PDF

   Whereas, Since the earliest days of nuclear power, the great dilemma associated with this technology is how to deal with the waste material that is produced. This high-level radioactive waste material demands exceptional care in all facets of its storage and disposal, including the transportation of this material; and

   Whereas, In 1982, Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. This legislation requires the federal government, through the Department of Energy, to build a facility for the permanent storage of high-level nuclear waste. This act, which was amended in 1987, includes a specific timetable to identify a suitable location and to establish the waste facility. The costs for this undertaking are to be paid from a fee that is assessed on all nuclear energy produced; and

   Whereas, In accordance with the federal act, customers of utilities operating nuclear plants in Michigan have contributed, directly and through accumulated interest, some $700 million for the construction and operation of a federal waste facility; and

   Whereas, There are serious concerns that the federal government is not complying with the timetables set forth in federal law. Every delay places our country at greater risk, because the large number of temporary sites at nuclear facilities across the country makes us vulnerable to potential problems. The Department of Energy, working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, must not fail to meet its obligation as provided by law. There is too much at stake; now, therefore, be it

   Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we urge the United States Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to fulfill their obligation to establish a permanent repository for high-level nuclear waste; and be it further

   Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the United States Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

   Adopted by the House of Representatives, May 5, 1999.

   Adopted by the Senate, May 20, 1999.

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   POM-230. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of the State of Montana relative to national forest road closure and obliteration; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

   House Joint Resolution 26

   Whereas, there are 737 million acres of forested land covering approximately one-third of the United States, a nation that has created the largest legally protected wilderness system in the world, while at the same time sustaining a highly productive and efficient wood products industry; and

   Whereas, the federal government owns approximately two-thirds of the land in western Montana and these lands are primarily administered by the U.S. Forest Service; and

   Whereas, the management of federal lands has a direct impact on economic and recreational opportunities and the quality of life for thousands of Montana residents; and

   Whereas, Congress has declared in the federal Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960 that national forests are established and must be utilized for outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, and wildlife and fishery purposes; and

   Whereas, the national forest road system represents a significant capital infrastructure investment and a valuable existing forest asset for forest managers and the public, providing access for a multitude of recreational opportunities, for emergency response efforts, and for resource management, protection, and improvement activities; and

   Whereas, the federal government continues to close roads to public access by motorized vehicles and, in early 1998, the forest service proposed and is now planning to implement an 18-month moratorium on all new road building in roadless areas pending a review of its road management policies; and

   Whereas, one stated purpose of the moratorium is to close or obliterate existing roads, thus creating additional defacto roadless areas contrary to the interests of Montana's citizens; and

   Whereas, the scheduled destruction of nearly 2,000 miles of roads in the 10 national forests in Montana can have significant environmental, economic, and cultural impacts upon the fabric of many Montana communities and its citizens; and

   Whereas, 650 miles of forest system roads in the Flathead National Forest alone have been scheduled for obliteration and 200 miles have already been destroyed; and

   Whereas, destruction or obliteration of existing forest system roads can cause short-term and long-term increased discharges of sediment to streams, adversely affecting certain sensitive or endangered fish species and resulting in further restrictions on other multiple-use activities. Now, therefore, be it

   Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the State of Montana:

   (1) That the 56th Montana Legislature opposes the current administration's policy on national forest road closure and obliteration and urges the immediate suspension of road closure and obliteration activities.

   (2) That existing roads are a valuable and necessary capital investment in public lands that should not be lost or destroyed.

   (3) That forest plans specifying multiple-use management for timber harvest, outdoor recreation, range, watershed, and fish and wildlife values should be given priority as the appropriate and necessary management guidance to the forest service. Be it further

   Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent by the Secretary of State to the Montana Congressional Delegation, the Secretary of the federal Department of Interior, the Secretary of the federal Department of Agriculture, the Director of the United States Forest Service, the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the President and Vice President of the United States.

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