Date: 1992-10-05
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. Speaker. I rise n support of the conference report on H.R. 776. This conference report is the outgrowth of considerable effort on the part of the House and Senate. and I commend my colleagues in both Chambers for the extraordinary degree of cooperation that resulted In our completing this conference on time. In particular. I want to commend the chairman of the conference committee on which I was privileged to serve. Senator BENNETT JOHNSTON JR. I also want to recognize the leadership of Chairmen MILLER and DINGELL on this important matter. Mr. Speaker. title XXVII of H.R. 776 would address a number of special energyrelated problems faced In the Insular areas for which our Nation has special responsibilities. and which are outlined In House of Representatives Report 102474. part 8. For the most part. H.R. 776 would followup on Issues which the Insular and International Affairs Subcommittee on the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs--which I am privileged to chair--has been working on for some time. A few other issues are based on more recent consultation with representatives of the Insular areas. but also relate to longstanding needs. Among the pressing Insular needs addressed. Mr. Speaker. Is the need to provide electricity throughout the trust territory that we have committed to the United Nations to develop. Palau. Some 45 years after the United States assumed this responsiblity. electricity Is still not available to many people In these western Pacific islands. Fortunately. the conference report on H.R. 776 recognizes the Importance of ensuring adequate electric service throughout the Islands. as did the House bill. It would require the Secretary of the Interior to submit to the Congresswithin 3 months of enactment of H.R. 776a plan to meet Palaus electric needs. including all of the Infrastructure and financing needs of Its power system. Mr. Speaker. this conference report Includes a number of other Important provisions that are essential. not only to the provision of energy In the Insular areas. but to the health and wellbeing of the people In these areas as well. For example. PCBs brought Into Micronesia and the Marshall Islands In power distribution equipment by the Federal Government during its period of United States trusteeship responsibility for the Islands should be cleaned up by the Federal Government. H.R. 776 recognizes and facilitates this. Also. sInce the Insular areas have an abundance of alternate. renewable energy resources. these resources should be developed in order to break these islands almost total reliance on costly. Imported energy. H.R. 776 recognizes this and would assist Insular governments In developing these valuable resources by authorizing an annual appropriation of up to $2 million for such programs. And because of the unique vulnerablities of the Insular areas to any disruption In our Nations energy supplies. title XIV of H.R. 776 requires the Secretary of Energy to submit to Congress a study outlining how these areas would gain access to vital energy supplies In times of a national energy crisis. Finally. recognizing that any shipment to or storage of nuclear waste on any of these Islands would have farreaching and lifethreatening consequences to the people of these relatively small land masses. H.R. 776 prohibits this. On that note. Mr. Speaker. f must express my sincere regrets that the Abercrombie amendment which would have stiffened considerably the circumstances under which plutonium may be shipped through U.S. territorial waters did not survive. This is an Issue. however. which I am certain the honorable gentleman from Hawaii will not let die. and I look forward to working with him on this In the 103d Congress. I urge my colleagues to pass this conference report.