EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

1-1 Whereas, On July 31, 1997, the United States Environmental

1-2 Protection Agency published proposed regulations concerning regional

1-3 haze in volume 62, number 147, of the Federal Register at page 41137; and

1-4 Whereas, Pursuant to those proposed regulations, the United States

1-5 Environmental Protection Agency proposes to establish a national

1-6 regulatory program that reduces the impairment of visibility caused by

1-7 regional haze in mandatory Class I Federal areas, including national parks

1-8 that encompass more than 6,000 acres, wilderness areas and national

1-9 memorial parks that encompass more than 5,000 acres and any international

1-10 park that was in existence on August 7, 1977; and

1-11 Whereas, The standards for controlling and reducing regional haze set

1-12 forth in the proposed regulations are unreasonable, and the cost of

1-13 complying with those standards is excessive; and

1-14 Whereas, The proposed regulations do not adequately address issues

1-15 relating to the control of regional haze that is caused by emissions from

1-16 motor vehicles, fires and air pollution that originates outside the United

1-17 States; and

1-18 Whereas, The proposed regulations have received extensive criticism

1-19 from several agencies and organizations, including the Western Governors’

2-1 Association, the Division of Environmental Protection of the State

2-2 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Nevada Taxpayers

2-3 Association and the Nevada Association of Counties; and

2-4 Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency has

2-5 estimated that the cost of implementing the proposed regulations after

2-6 adoption will be $2.7 billion per year by the year 2010, of which $2.1

2-7 billion per year is estimated to be required of the states in the Western

2-8 United States; and

2-9 Whereas, That cost will impose a significant economic burden on each

2-10 state affected by the proposed regulations, including the State of Nevada

2-11 and the local governments in this state; and

2-12 Whereas, Pursuant to the proposed regulations, the State of Nevada

2-13 will be unreasonably limited in its potential for future economic activity;

2-14 and

2-15 Whereas, Because impairment of visibility caused by regional haze in

2-16 many areas in the Western United States is not as significant as in areas in

2-17 the Eastern United States, compliance with the proposed regulations, if

2-18 adopted, will be difficult for states in the Western United States, and the

2-19 perceived benefit in visibility resulting from implementation of the

2-20 proposed regulations in those states will be minimal in comparison to the

2-21 cost of complying with the regulations; and

2-22 Whereas, The United States Environmental Protection Agency has

2-23 received numerous recommendations that it should resubmit the proposed

2-24 regulations for review and comment by the members of the general public

2-25 after the proposed regulations are amended to address issues concerning the

2-26 control of regional haze that is caused by emissions from motor vehicles,

2-27 fires and air pollution that originates outside the United States and issues

2-28 concerning the cost of complying with the proposed regulations; and

2-29 Whereas, Despite those recommendations, in February 1999, the

2-30 United States Environmental Protection Agency submitted the proposed

2-31 regulations to the United States Office of Management and Budget without

2-32 amending the proposed regulations to address those issues; now, therefore,

2-33 be it

2-34 Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada,

2-35 Jointly, That the Legislature of the State of Nevada expresses strong

2-36 disapproval of the proposed regulations concerning regional haze published

2-37 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency on July 31, 1997, in

2-38 volume 62, number 147, page 41137 of the Federal Register and submitted

2-39 to the United States Office of Management and Budget in February 1999;

2-40 and be it further

2-41 Resolved, That the United States Environmental Protection Agency is

2-42 hereby urged to refrain from adopting the proposed regulations unless the

2-43 proposed regulations are amended to address issues concerning:

3-1 1. The control of regional haze that is caused by emissions from motor

3-2 vehicles, fires and air pollution that originates outside the United States;

3-3 and

3-4 2. The cost of complying with the proposed regulations; and be it

3-5 further

3-6 Resolved, That Congress is hereby urged to take any action that is

3-7 appropriate to prohibit the United States Environmental Protection Agency

3-8 from adopting the proposed regulations unless the proposed regulations are

3-9 amended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to address

3-10 those issues; and be it further

3-11 Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy

3-12 of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as the presiding

3-13 officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each

3-14 member of the Nevada Congressional Delegation, the Director of the

3-15 United States Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator of the

3-16 United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Supervisor of

3-17 the United States Forest Service in Nevada, the Director of the Nevada

3-18 State Office of the Bureau of Land Management and the Administrator of

3-19 the Division of Environmental Protection of the State Department of

3-20 Conservation and Natural Resources; and be it further

3-21 Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage and

3-22 approval.