Senate Joint Resolution No. 3–Committee on Natural Resources

FILE NUMBER........

Whereas, On July 31, 1997, the United States Environmental

Protection Agency published proposed regulations concerning regional

haze in volume 62, number 147, of the Federal Register at page 41137; and

Whereas, Pursuant to those proposed regulations, the United States

Environmental Protection Agency proposes to establish a national

regulatory program that reduces the impairment of visibility caused by

regional haze in mandatory Class I Federal areas, including national parks

that encompass more than 6,000 acres, wilderness areas and national

memorial parks that encompass more than 5,000 acres and any international

park that was in existence on August 7, 1977; and

Whereas, The standards for controlling and reducing regional haze set

forth in the proposed regulations are unreasonable, and the cost of

complying with those standards is excessive; and

Whereas, The proposed regulations do not adequately address issues

relating to the control of regional haze that is caused by emissions from

motor vehicles, fires and air pollution that originates outside the United

States; and

Whereas, The proposed regulations have received extensive criticism

from several agencies and organizations, including the Western Governors’

Association, the Division of Environmental Protection of the State

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Nevada Taxpayers

Association and the Nevada Association of Counties; and

Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency has

estimated that the cost of implementing the proposed regulations after

adoption will be $2.7 billion per year by the year 2010, of which $2.1

billion per year is estimated to be required of the states in the Western

United States; and

Whereas, That cost will impose a significant economic burden on each

state affected by the proposed regulations, including the State of Nevada

and the local governments in this state; and

Whereas, Pursuant to the proposed regulations, the State of Nevada

will be unreasonably limited in its potential for future economic activity;

and

Whereas, Because impairment of visibility caused by regional haze in

many areas in the Western United States is not as significant as in areas in

the Eastern United States, compliance with the proposed regulations, if

adopted, will be difficult for states in the Western United States, and the

perceived benefit in visibility resulting from implementation of the

proposed regulations in those states will be minimal in comparison to the

cost of complying with the regulations; and

Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency has

received numerous recommendations that it should resubmit the proposed

regulations for review and comment by the members of the general public

after the proposed regulations are amended to address issues concerning the

control of regional haze that is caused by emissions from motor vehicles,

fires and air pollution that originates outside the United States and issues

concerning the cost of complying with the proposed regulations; and

Whereas, Despite those recommendations, in February 1999, the

United States Environmental Protection Agency submitted the proposed

regulations to the United States Office of Management and Budget without

amending the proposed regulations to address those issues; now, therefore,

be it

Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada,

Jointly, That the Legislature of the State of Nevada expresses strong

disapproval of the proposed regulations concerning regional haze published

by the United States Environmental Protection Agency on July 31, 1997, in

volume 62, number 147, page 41137 of the Federal Register and submitted

to the United States Office of Management and Budget in February 1999;

and be it further

Resolved, That the United States Environmental Protection Agency is

hereby urged to refrain from adopting the proposed regulations unless the

proposed regulations are amended to address issues concerning:

1. The control of regional haze that is caused by emissions from motor

vehicles, fires and air pollution that originates outside the United States;

and

2. The cost of complying with the proposed regulations; and be it

further

Resolved, That Congress is hereby urged to take any action that is

appropriate to prohibit the United States Environmental Protection Agency

from adopting the proposed regulations unless the proposed regulations are

amended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to address

those issues; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy

of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as the presiding

officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each

member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation, the Director of the

United States Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator of the

United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Supervisor of

the United States Forest Service in Nevada, the Director of the Nevada

State Office of the Bureau of Land Management and the Administrator of

the Division of Environmental Protection of the State Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources; and be it further

Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage and

approval.

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