SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING OIL SPILL PREVENTION TRAINING FOR PERSONNEL ON BOARD NAVY VESSELS.

SEC. 328. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING OIL SPILL PREVENTION TRAINING FOR PERSONNEL ON BOARD NAVY VESSELS. (a) Findings.— Congress makes the following findings: (1) There have been six significant oil spills in Puget Sound, Washington, in 1998, five at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (including three from the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, one from the U.S.S. Carl Vinson, and one from the U.S.S. Sacramento) and one at Naval Station Everett from the U.S.S. Paul F. Foster. (2) Navy personnel on board vessels, and not shipyard employees, were primarily responsible for a majority of these oil spills at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. 112 STAT. 1967 (3) Oil spills have the potential to damage the local environment, killing microscopic organisms, contributing to air pollution, harming plants and marine animals, and increasing overall pollution levels in Puget Sound. (b) Sense of Congress.— It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Navy should take immediate action to significantly reduce the risk of vessel oil spills, including the minimization of fuel oil transfers, the assurance of proper training and qualifications of all Naval personnel in occupations that may contribute to or minimize the risk of shipboard oil spills, and the improvement of liaison with local authorities concerning oil spill prevention and response activities.