75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2009 Regular Session
Enrolled
House Joint Resolution 16
Sponsored by Representative COWAN, Senator KRUSE; Representatives
BOONE, HUNT, KRIEGER, ROBLAN, WITT, Senators JOHNSON, VERGER,
WHITSETT (at the request of Oregon Coastal Caucus)
Whereas the State of Oregon is one of five Pacific Ocean
coastal states; and
Whereas the State of Oregon is committed to ensuring the
long-term health of its coastal ocean and the fisheries therein,
through the 2006 West Coast Governors Agreement on Ocean Health;
and
Whereas the State of Oregon is a global leader for ocean
research and employs one of the world's foremost communities of
ocean scientists at Oregon State University, University of
Oregon, Portland State University, Oregon Health and Science
University and other academic institutions and state agencies;
and
Whereas Oregon State University operates the scientific
Research Vessel Wecoma through the University-National
Oceanographic Laboratory System, has operated research vessels
continuously since 1958 and has a world-class research docking
facility in the City of Newport; and
Whereas the Research Vessel Wecoma has been witness to
ground-breaking ocean research, including the discovery of
hydrothermal vents and methane hydrates, the identification of
coastal hypoxia and understanding coastal upwelling and its
impact on coastal ecosystems; and
Whereas the Research Vessel Wecoma is 34 years old and will be
decommissioned in the next five years, whether it is replaced or
not; and
Whereas the only means of procuring a replacement vessel is by
response to a United States Navy Request for Proposals in 2009 to
operate a new Oceans Class Research Vessel; and
Whereas that United States Navy Request for Proposals will
specify the requirement for demonstrated state support; and
Whereas all other coastal states provide support for scientific
research vessels in the form of state-funded ship days used for
the purposes of education, development of new research ideas and
fostering partnerships between universities, industry and
government agencies; and
Whereas there will be fewer research vessels in the
University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System fleet and
hence the competition for those fewer replacement vessels will be
extreme; and
Whereas the federally funded operating budget of the Research
Vessel Wecoma is presently $3.5 million per annum with an
economic multiplier of eight, primarily spent in the State of
Oregon, supporting economic activity of at least $12 million; and
Whereas the operating budget of the new Oceans Class Research
Vessel is anticipated to be $5 million beginning in 2014, with a
proportionately higher return on investment to the state; and
Whereas the State of Oregon will realize a taxable return of
zero without a replacement vessel, and will suffer economically
Enrolled House Joint Resolution 16 (HJR 16-INTRO) Page 1
from the loss of jobs and industry associated with the operation,
maintenance and upkeep of a research vessel, including the loss
of seagoing oceanographers from the state; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
Oregon:
That we, the members of the Seventy-fifth Legislative Assembly,
recognize the responsibility of the role of the coastal State of
Oregon in providing leadership in this nation's stewardship of
the oceans and that the loss of Research Vessel Wecoma without a
replacement is a net economic loss to Oregon, and therefore
resolve to support the operation of a new Oceans Class Research
Vessel, to be obtained through competitive proposal to the United
States Navy, in the amount of $500,000 per annum beginning in
2014 or at the time the new Oceans Class Research Vessel becomes
operational.
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Adopted by House April 8, 2009
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Chief Clerk of House
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Speaker of House
Adopted by Senate May 11, 2009
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President of Senate
Enrolled House Joint Resolution 16 (HJR 16-INTRO) Page 2