Number: 1987-26
WHEREAS, the United States is blessed with thousands of miles of beaches important to recreation and tourism and which provide habitat critical to aquatic life; and
WHEREAS, the general condition of those beaches is degraded by litter, refuse, and garbage deposited by beach visitors and washed ashore from the adjacent oceans; and
WHEREAS, any long-term solution to the beach refuse and garbage problem requires identification and elimination of the sources of marine garbage and refuse; and
WHEREAS, studies indicate that the majority of such beach garbage and refuse originates from offshore sources such as ships and offshore oil and gas platforms; and
WHEREAS, the International Maritime Organization has proposed Annex V of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78) which would regulate ocean dumping of garbage and refuse from ships; and
WHEREAS, Annex V of MARPOL 73/78 has been sent to the United States Senate for ratification;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 19-22, 1987, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada strongly urges the United States Senate to ratify Annex V of MARPOL 73/78 at the earliest possible date; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Federation urges the Congress of the United States to approve implementation legislation required for Annex V at the earliest possible date; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Federation urges the International Maritime Organization to designate shallow closed basins such as the Gulf of Mexico as “special areas” in which no ocean dumping from ships would be allowed.