At Vote: Reducing Spills and Leaks [Complete] [Complete]

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Description: Believing that reduction of harm to the environment and preservation of lives is an issue of paramount importance to this body,

Accepting that spills and leaks, when involving hazardous materials, may cause irreparable harm to the environment and result in lost lives,

Hereby,

1. Establishes the Spill and Leak Disaster Administration (SaLDA) with the following responsibilities:

A. Creating safety standards to minimize the risk of a spill or leak during material transport and storage,

B. Establishing cleanup standards for spills and leaks,

C. Designing reimbursement standards for the purposes of:

a. Making whole those affected by spills and leaks,

b. Collecting appropriately punitive penalties from those entities that cause and/or allow spills or leaks to occur through negligence,

D. Acquiring technologies that reduce the risk of spills and leaks,

E. Distributing technologies to nations in order to minimize the risk of spills and leaks,

F. Recommending the usage of SaLDA standards and technologies to WA Nations,

2. Requires nations to establish standards and utilize technologies appropriate to their needs and capabilities using SaLDA recommendations and technological resources for the following purposes:

A. Minimizing the risk of spills and leaks,

B. Making whole those affected by spills and leaks,

C. Enabling faster and more efficient cleanup of spills and leaks,

3. Urges nations to establish standards in line with any SaLDA recommendations not already required by clause 2,

4. Requires that nations deny entry to their territory to any transport owned and/or operated by an entity that does not follow SaLDA recommendations as outlined by clause 2 and which is carrying materials the nation to be transited considers capable of causing a spill or leak,

5. Allows exceptions to denials of entry as outlined in clause 4 in the following situations:

A. If such a denial would itself create a public safety hazard or significant environmental damage,

B. If such a denial would be in violation of extant international law,

C. If said transport is in compliance with all safety standards relating to SaLDA recommendations adopted by the nation it is transiting,

6. Requires nations to make a good faith effort outside of SaLDA recommendations to minimize the risk of spills and leaks from any transport originating in their territory or from any storage facility housed in their nation,

7. Urges nations to cooperate in the cleanup of spills and leaks.

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Please vote: For | Against | Abstain | Present

"Abstain" means that you wish for the Delegate to not vote on the resolution at all.
"Present" means that you effectively choose not to participate in this vote. "Present" has no effect on how the Delegate votes.

Posts which do not include an explicit and unambiguous vote are not counted in the tally.

Ministry vote recommendation: For

Ministry Review
Written by Sciongrad

The proposed resolution essentially covers the policy area recently left bare by the repeal of the Oil Tanker Standards Act - a very sensible idea for a resolution, I think. After all, the unregulated transportation of hazardous materials poses a constant transnational threat. Therefore, international cooperation to prevent damage to the environment caused by "leaks and spills" of dangerous materials is certainly worthy of consideration by the World Assembly.

I take minor issue with some content in the resolution, however. The Spills and Leaks Disaster Administration is an unnecessary addition to the World Assembly's bureaucracy because the International Transport Safety Committee - an preexisting committee - could easily assume the responsibilities delegated to the SaLDA. I have minor concerns regarding the vagueness of the SaLDA's mandate as well, as it's tasked with the very broad task of formulating policy that "minimizes the risk of a spill or leak during material transport and storage." However, while I would rather see some more specifics regarding how the SaLDA formulates its policy, I am aware that the character limit may not make such a degree of specification feasible.

Despite those minor quibbles, I find the use of bureaucracy appropriate for the task, and I like the flexibility that clause two permits. I also find the provision meant to ensure the implementation of policies formulated by SaLDA to be effective, along with the list of reasonable exceptions. The proposal is overall effective and of appropriate scope, and a major improvement over the previous and recently repealed legislation. For these reasons, my recommendation is to vote For this resolution.

Seeing the outcome of both the NS and forum votes on Sanc's proposal is more or less determined, we can move on to the next GA resolution in queue.

This one is drafted by our very own Treize_Dreizehn, and it is the follow-up to the repeal he and I had co-authored.

I think addressing chemical spills, especially with regards to intercountry transits, is an area where WA legislation is needed. TD's proposal is a large improvement over the previous legislation, and overall effective and of appropriate scope. I had the chance to go through it and discuss it considerably with TD during drafting, so I am very satisfied with the content.

For these reasons, I vote For.

It's authored by an untrustworthy nation, opposed

(I kid. I'll look at this proposal in a bit.)

This goes to vote in seven hours, so you should start voting .

I count 1-0-0 For, and voted accordingly.

For

Against

For

For

For

Against - less government involvement in business, less draconian government regulations. Let the free market sort it out.

For, just to piss off the libertarians.

PaulWallLibertarian42:

Against - less government involvement in business, less draconian government regulations. Let the free market sort it out.

Click to expand...

The free market can't sort out environmental disasters, friend.

Government bureaucracy is not some magical entity that farts rainbows and makes everything better either friend

PaulWallLibertarian42:

Government bureaucracy is not some magical entity that farts rainbows and makes everything better either friend

Click to expand...

No one ever said that bureaucracy uses magic to solve issues, I don't think. If I suggested that anywhere, I apologize. However, it's sort of ridiculous to say that the implementation of measures specifically designed to ensure hazardous materials don't spill or leak is a less effective policy than simply letting the "free market" work out the issue, especially when you consider that self-regulation is against of the interests of companies that may be involved in transporting such material. My point is that the free market is actually not a logical answer because a lack of regulation is what causes spills and leaks, not something that will prevent it.

6-0-2, continuing with original vote.

FOR

Against

For

Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.

Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.