The Double Hulled Tanker Act

[Admin Tyler]

Mr Williams for the President of the United States, WARDER, and for others, submits the following:

SEC. 1 SHORT FORM

The short form of this Act is the 'Double Hulled Tanker Act'.

SEC. 2 FINDINGS

Whereas currently single hulled tankers may be used without restriction until 2015, these tankers pose a clear and present danger to the environment of the United States of America and must be banned immediately.

SEC. 3 PROHIBITION OF SINGLE HULLED TANKERS

All single hulled tankers shall be prohibited from entering the exclusive economic zone of the United States of America.

SEC. 4 PENALTIES FOR USE OF SINGLE HULLED TANKERS

(1) Any company docking a single hulled tanker carrying a cargo of oil at a United States port shall be fined up to $50,000,000, if that single hulled tanker is docked after this legislation enters into legal force.

(2) Any company undocking a single hulled tanker carrying a cargo of oil at a United States port shall be fined up to $100,000,000, if that single hulled tanker is undocked after this legislation enters into legal force

(3) These penalties shall be open to full legal review.

SEC. 5 TAX REFUNDS FOR UPGRADES

(1) $1.5 billion shall be appropriated to the Secretary of the Environment from the Natural Resources & Environment budget for allocation to companies affected by the ban on single hulled tankers for the exclusive purpose of upgrading single hulled tankers to double hulled tankers or purchasing double hulled tankers to replace single hulled tankers which are to be retired as a result of this legislation entering into legal force.

(2) This assistance shall be given in the form of corporate income tax refunds.

(3) The total value of tax refunds given in each instance of upgrading a single hulled tanker to a double hulled tanker as described in Sec. 5 (1, 2) shall in no case exceed the cost of purchasing a new double hulled tanker on the open market.

(4) The companies making application to the Secretary of the Environment for corporate income tax refunds for the purposes described in Sec. 5 (1, 2, 3) of this Act shall provide documentation demonstrating that the single hulled tanker in question is being upgraded at a certified dry dock, the list of which shall be compiled by the Secretary of the Environment in conjunction with the Secretary of Commerce. The certification shall take into account the history, trustworthiness, competency and reliability of the dry dock in question. The certification shall furthermore take into account that the dry dock in question provide a reasonable wage to its workers, which shall be no less than the federal minimum wage. Failing such documentation, no corporate income tax refunds under Sec. 5 (1, 2, 3) shall be granted.

SEC. 6 STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE

(1) An amount of oil shall be released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve proportionate to the amount of oil which will not be imported into the United States market as a result of oil-bearing single hulled tankers not being able to dock or undock at United States ports. All such releases of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve shall be made in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and shall require his authorization.

(2) The amount of oil released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve pursuant to Sec. 6 (1) of this Act shall be pumped back into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve no later than one year after the passage of this Act.

SEC. 7 ENTRY INTO FORCE

This legislation enters into force after passing the Congress and on signature by the president.

[Admin Tyler]

"The rules have been suspended and this legislation is now open for debate."

[Owen Williams]

This piece of legislation represents a valuable and important step towards protecting our coastal flora and fauna from the devastating effects of oil spills. The recent spill in California is a prime example of where mandating double hulled tankers would've not only saved our pristine coastlines, but would've saved government agencies and insurance agencies millions of dollars.

For these reasons I move for unanimous consent.

[Uxbridge]

Mr. President

we must also do more to find energy here AND create new types, but I will 2nd the motion

[Admin Tyler]

"Unanimous consent has been called for, 24 hours for objection."

[Admin Tyler]

OOC: How long has this been sitting here. Oops, I suppose is the word?

This bill has passed unanimously.