PLASTIC POLLUTION FROM SHIPS The Committee is concerned about the growing hazards to the marine environment from uncontrolled discharges of garbage, including plastics, from ships into the oceans. The disposal of plastics can kill or harm marine species and other wildlife through entanglement and ingestion. Additionally, maritime nations including the United States are experiencing extensive beach litter problems attributed largely to the disposal of shipboard generated garbage. The Committee acknowledges the Coast Guard's efforts in support of U.S. ratification of annex V (regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships) of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, as revised by the 1978 protocol relating thereto (Marpol 73/78); and in the preparation of corresponding implementing legislation. The Committee is also aware of U.S. efforts at the International Maritime Organization in coordinating the development of international guidelines to assist in effective implementation and enforcement of annex V of Marpol 73/78. The Coast Guard, as a lead agency, is directed to provide the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations with a report which should include the following: a review of the status of the entry into force of annex V internationally; an account of progress on the development of the supplemental international guidelines, and a description of the Coast Guard's plan for assuring effective enforcement of both the provisions of these international agreements and U.S. domestic law. The report should also specifically address any additional legal authority that may, in the Coast Guard's view, be helpful in improving enforcement in this area. The report should be submitted by April 1, 1988. COAST GUARD YARD PERSONNEL The Committee is concerned about the adverse effects of arbitrarily imposed personnel ceilings on the industrial work force at the Coast Guard yard in Curtis Bay, MD. The yard is the Coast Guard's largest industrial facility and has been an important source of shipbuilding and ship repair work for the Coast Guard since 1899. During this period, the yard has also functioned as a key element in the Navy's shipyard mobilization base. Unfortunately, the civilian hiring ceiling imposed on the yard by the Office of Management and Budget have hindered the Coast Guard's ability to use the yard to the maximum extent possible. Projections for overtime work at the yard over the next 5 years run as high as 58 percent for some quarters, with an average annual rate of 24 percent. Unfortunately, even with this extraordinary amount of overtime, the yard will still experience significant backlogs due to the lack of personnel which will force the contracting out of work even if no A-76 review has been done. The Committee notes that contracting out at the yard, largely a result of problems created by the FTE ceiling, has increased costs for the Coast Guard. In the early 1980's, the yard contracted out ship crane maintenance due to the personnel ceiling. Costs associated with contracting this task became so excessive, running over 35 percent more than if performed by yard personnel, that the yard was forced to bring the crane maintenance function back under control of its civilian work force. Unfortunately, limitations imposed by the FTE ceiling may force the yard to contract this exact same function in the near future. The Committee believes that such an action would be inconsistent with prudent fiscal and budgetary policy. Because of these concerns, the Committee directs the Department of Transportation to permanently eliminate the FTE ceiling for industrial activities at the yard. The Committee notes that personnel positions would then be filled subject to assigned workload and available appropriations. It is the Committee's intent that this action will provide the Coast Guard with a more flexible ship repair and maintenance program at the yard and will lower costs for these services to the taxpayer. This appropriation provides for the major acquisition, construction, and improvement of vessels, aircraft, shore units, and aids to navigation operated and maintained by the Coast Guard. Currently, the Coast Guard has in operation approximately 250 cutters, ranging in size from 65-foot tugs to 399-foot polar icebreakers, more than 2,000 boats, and more than 175 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The Coast Guard also operates approximately 600 stations, support and supply centers, communications facilities, and other shore units. The Coast Guard provides over 45,000 navigational aids-buoys, fixed aids, lighthouses, and radio navigational stations. For acquisition, construction, and improvements, the bill includes $270,600,000, which is $10,600,000 more than the House allowance, $7,293,000 less than the budget request, and $27,400,000 less than the fiscal 1987 enacted level. The House allowance assumes the availability of $13,800,000 in carryover funds and an assortment of programmatic efficiencies and constraints totaling $4,343,000. The Committee recommendation restores the reduction from the estimate based on carryover balances; increases the House programmatic reductions by $2,950,000, and reduces administrative costs by an additional $250,000. The following table summarizes the Committee's programmatic recommendations: Vessels.-The Committee recommends the full budget request of $192,400,000 for vessel acquisition and improvement. This includes, inter alia: $10,000,000 for the WMEC-270 medium endurance cutter program; $1,500,000 for development and testing of a replacement lifeboat prototype; $2,000,000 for development of plans for replacement of a Polar icebreaker; $39,000,000 for the midlife maintenance program for the 210-foot medium endurance cutters; $139,000,000 for the fleet renovation and modernization [FRAM] of 370-foot high endurance cutters; and $900,000 for vessel survey and design. Command, control, and communications.-The Committee has approved $2,000,000. This includes: $1,400,000 for acquisition of three minicomputers as part of planned improvements in procurement information management; and $600,000, a reduction of $100,000, for advanced design. Shore facilities.-The Committee recommends $48,050,000, a reduction of $3,950,000 from the request. Aids to navigation.-The Committee concurs with the House in recommending no increase over fiscal 1987 ($3,900,000) for this program. This is a reduction of $2,800,000 from the estimate. The allowance includes $1,400,000 for lighthouse automation and $2,000,000 for waterways aids to navigation. Administration.-The Committee has approved $24,750,000. The reduction of $443,000 below the estimate reflects an assortment of management and administrative savings. The recommended amount is an increase of $2,750,00 over the enacted fiscal 1987 level and includes $19,800,000 for personnel compensation and benefits. This will support the request for 331 military and 238 civilian positions which represents an increase of 34 military and 14 civilian positions. CONTRACTOR WARRANTIES The Committee concurs with the House in continuing bill language requiring written warranties for all major Coast Guard system acquisitions. The Committee expects that the Coast Guard will fully implement this requirement in accordance with the guidelines spelled out in the House report. CAPE MAY BEACH EROSION The Committee is concerned about the continued beach erosion at training center Cape May and in the local vicinity. This is a serious problem which, if not solved, will soon jeopardize Federal property and facilities valued at approximately $175,000,000. The Committee's understanding is that the problem has been fully studied by the Army Corps of Engineers, and that the Coast Guard is considering requesting funding to cover its share of the project costs. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that this is an urgent problem which is getting significantly worse year by year. The high water line has already intruded over 1,200 feet into Federal property and continues to intrude at a rate of approximately 30 feet per year. Having already lost a rifle range, the training center will lose another covered firing range and the helicopter autorotation practice pad by 1990. Soon the air station hangar, office, and shop structure will be in jeopardy. The Coast Guard is expected to continue its efforts to solve this problem in accordance with the provisions of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-662). In particular, special effort should be made to work closely with local municipalities and the Army Corps of Engineers to facilitate the necessary funding by all concerned parties as soon as possible. If a cost-sharing funding arrangement is successfully negotiated in the near term, the Committee expects the Coast Guard to submit a plan for financing its share of the costs from unobligated balances under this account without delay to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. Appropriations, 1987. House allowance... Committee recommendation.. ALTERATION OF BRIDGES $1,000,000 990,000 The "Alteration of bridges" appropriation provides funds for the Coast Guard's share of the cost of altering or removing bridges obstructive to navigation. Under the provisions of the Truman-Hobbs Act of June 21, 1940, as amended, (33 U.S.C. 511 et seq.) the Coast Guard, as the Federal Government's agent, is required to share with owners the cost of altering railroad and publicly owned highway bridges which obstruct the free movement of navigation on navigable waters of the United States in accordance with the formula established in 33 U.S.C. 516. The Committee recommends $990,000 which is $10,000 below the House allowance. There was no budget request. The CSX Railroad Bridge over the Pascagoula River was built in 1904 and, because of its narrow passageway of 82 feet, has stymied economic development up river. The Committee is informed that Jackson County, MS, is applying for Truman-Hobbs funds to widen the span to 140 feet. The recommended sum includes $495,000 for the preliminary design and site preparation work on this project. The Committee also concurs in the House allowance of $495,000 for design and construction planning on alterations to the Norfolk & Southern Railroad Bridge at Hannibal, MO, subject to a determination that the bridge represents an unreasonable obstruction to navigation. FATHER BAKER BRIDGE The Committee has inserted bill language, section 333, declaring the Union Canal in the city of Buffalo, NY, a nonnavigable waterway. The Committee is aware that the Father Baker Bridge, which spans this waterway is deteriorating and must be replaced soon as a safety measure. The bridge has a clearance of 100 feet, and was built to accommodate navigation by large vessels passing through the Union Ship Canal. Only three large vessels have used the canal in 4 years, and none in almost a year. The only existing commercial business upstream of the bridge has filed for bankruptcy. The only economically feasible replacement for the existing bridge is a low-level bridge design that has been approved by Federal, State, and local authorities. In order to allow this important safety project to proceed, the Committee finds that a portion of the waterway in nonnavigable under relevant Federal law. The "Retired pay" appropriation provides for retired pay of military personnel of the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve, members of the former Lighthouse Service, and for annuities payable to beneficiaries of retired military personnel under the retired serviceman's family protection plan (10 U.S.C. 1431-1446) and survivor benefit plan (10 U.S.C. 1447-1455), and for medical care of retired personnel and their dependents under the Dependents Medical Care Act. The average number of personnel on the retired rolls is estimated to be 25,139 in fiscal year 1988, as compared with an estimated 24,728 in fiscal year 1987 and 24,254 in fiscal year 1986. The bill includes $386,700,000 for retired pay, which is the same as the House allowance and the budget request. The Coast Guard Reserve was established by Act of Congress in February 1941, to provide qualified individuals and trained units for active duty in time of war or national emergency. This objective is now being accomplished through formal training and augmentation of reg |