The National Offshore Oil Spill Response... Act [LAW'D]

[Bacon King]

The National Offshore Oil Spill Response Equipment and Resources Act

I. The Coast Guard, in conjunction with the Department of Internal Affairs, shall oversee the creation of Oil Spill Response Zones which are to be overseen by the Coast Guard once established.
    A. The following areas shall be designated as Offshore Oil Spill Response Zones.
   1. North Atlantic - From Maine to Maryland
   2. South Atlantic - From Virginia to the East Coast of Florida
   3. Gulf of Mexico - From West Coast of Florida to Texas
   4. West Coast - California, Oregon and Washington
   5. Alaska
    B. If no offshore drilling is occurring in a zone then the Coast Guard may deem it inoperative with the authority to reverse its decision depending on the changes in the situation in the zone with regards to offshore drilling.

II. The Oil Spill Response Supply Agency shall be created within the Department of Internal Affairs to determine the type, amount and quality of the equipment, supplies, and materials that are required in each zone.
     A. The locations of the stockpiles are to be in the following cities:
   1. North Atlantic - Portland, ME
   2. South Atlantic - Charleston, SC
   3. Gulf of Mexico - Mobile, AL
   4. West Coast - San Diego, CA
   5. Alaska - Dutch Harbor, AK
     B. 50% of the cost of the stockpiles is to be divided proportionally amongst the oil companies which are drilling in the zone based on what percentage of the oil drilling, in the said zone, they are responsible for. The other 50% shall be provided from the revenue collected by a national oil extraction tax of 5% to be levied by this act. All excess revenue from this tax is to be directed towards the general fund for uses related to oil or energy.
    1. The collection of both is to be enforced by the Internal Revenue Service for Oil Response Supply Agency.

Sponsor: Senator NCYankee
bill slot: Four

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am open to any ideas for improvement that may be out there, this is just to get the ball rolling on the issue.


Of course with this Senate I expect very little to be done to it.

[Bacon King]

Unless anyone has anything to add, this is due for a final vote in four hours. Amendments, anybody?

[Bacon King]

Friendly amendment, actually, to change the text of the bill to the following:

The National Offshore Oil Spill Response Equipment and Resources Act

I. The Coast Guard, in conjunction with the Department of Internal Affairs, shall oversee the creation of Oil Spill Response Zones which are to be overseen by the Coast Guard once established.
    A. The Department of Internal Affairs shall divide the Atlasian coast into Offshore Oil Spill Response Zones at their own discretion, except that at least four zones must be in existence and that at least one zone must consist of no Atlasian waters than the area off the Alaskan coast.
    B. If no offshore drilling is occurring in a zone then the Coast Guard may deem it inoperative with the authority to reverse its decision depending on the changes in the situation in the zone with regards to offshore drilling.

II. The Oil Spill Response Supply Agency shall be created within the Department of Internal Affairs to determine the type, amount and quality of the equipment, supplies, and materials that are required in each zone.
     A. The location of the stockpiles are at the discretion of the Department of Internal Affairs, except that there shall be at least one within each zone and that no drilling location is unnecessarily far from the closest stockpile. The Senate recommends the following list of cities as suitable locations to the Department of Internal Affairs
   1. Portland, ME
   2. Charleston, SC
   3. Mobile, AL
   4. San Diego, CA
   5. Dutch Harbor, AK
     B. 50% of the cost of the stockpiles is to be divided proportionally amongst the oil companies which are drilling in the zone based on what percentage of the oil drilling, in the said zone, they are responsible for. The other 50% shall be provided from the revenue collected by a national oil extraction tax of 5% to be levied by this act. All excess revenue from this tax is to be directed towards the Department of Internal Affairs for use related to energy.
    1. The collection of both is to be enforced by the Internal Revenue Service for Oil Response Supply Agency.

Gives the experts making the decisions a bit more discretion.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Amendment accepted as friendly.



This Senate sucks!!!

I could legalize murder and no one would comment.

[Prez Duke]

I'm pleased to see Charleston displayed in this bill.

[Ameriplan]

What about Hawaii?

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

What about Hawaii?

Yes, Senator Cynicism from the Dirty South left out the great state of Hawaii on purpose, and it almost didn't even get mentioned, justifying the Senators growing cynicism and depression about the state of affairs in general.


Its at great distance from Alaska and the West Coast? How should we dispense with the 50th state?

[Ameriplan]

What about Hawaii?

Yes, Senator Cynicism from the Dirty South left out the great state of Hawaii on purpose, and it almost didn't even get mentioned, justifying the Senators growing cynicism and depression about the state of affairs in general.


Its at great distance from Alaska and the West Coast? How should we dispense with the 50th state?

Lump it together with other territories like Guam and American Samoa and create a Pacific branch.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands needs to be added into one of them as well.

[Ameriplan]

Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands needs to be added into one of them as well.

The Gulf of Mexico, but definitely it needs to be established how far our jurisdiction is.

[Bacon King]

Guys, note the amended bill. I think it's best we leave the specifics of the zones and such, which are susceptible to change with changing circumstances anyway, to the DOIA specifically. I'm not sure any drilling even exists off Hawaii or Puerto Rico or anything.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Yes, I didn't notice it at first but 1B solves the problem.

When can we proceed to final vote?

[bgwah]

I would like to offer the following amendment:

The National Offshore Protection Act
1) All offshore oil drilling and production shall cease production by December 31st, 2010.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

That amendment is hostile to the purpose of this legislation and far removed from the purpose and intent with which it was proposed. I beleive it would be far better suited as stand alone legislation.

[Marokai]

That amendment is hostile to the purpose of this legislation and far removed from the purpose and intent with which it was proposed. I beleive it would be far better suited as stand alone legislation.

It's protection of the shore, no? I believe it at least deserves an up or down vote.

[Bacon King]

That amendment is hostile to the purpose of this legislation and far removed from the purpose and intent with which it was proposed. I beleive it would be far better suited as stand alone legislation.

Bgwah's amendment must be allowed to be debated, because the OSPR only allows an amendment to be withdrawn by the Senate's Presiding Officer if he finds that it is "functionally impractical, is frivolous, or is directly unconstitutional"; I don't see how it is any of the three.

We're now debating Bgwah's amendment, errybody, for the next 72 hours or until debate on it has ceased for a full day (whichever comes first).

[Bacon King]

Oh, and while we're talking about amendments, just a reminder that as 24 hours has elapsed since NCYankee's acceptance of my friendly amendment, the bill has been modified.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Good grief, I was just stating why I opposed the amendment.

[Bacon King]

Good grief, I was just stating why I opposed the amendment.

My apologies; I quickly skimmed through your post and seriously misread the "removed" part.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I wonder how much this Senate seat will fetch on Ebay.

[Bacon King]

I wonder how much this Senate seat will fetch on Ebay.

Not sure, but I can direct you to a former governor from Illinois who has some e perience on the subject

(really, though, sorry if I was excessively harsh above. I'm sick at the moment and my meds are making me feel pretty wonky)

[Bacon King]

Since 24 hours has passed since relevant debate, it is time to vote on the following amendment to this bill, as proposed by Senator Bgwah.

Senators, please vote aye, nay, or abstain.

The National Offshore Protection Act
1) All offshore oil drilling and production shall cease production by December 31st, 2010.

[Bacon King]

While a ban to be set into effect in the longer term would be commendable, a five month window would be impractical for a number of reasons. I also think this would be better dealt with as separate legislation anyway, as this bill would be very helpful in the short term while our country is still dependent on fossil fuel.

So, nay.

[I left.]

Nay