HCR 4 – AS INTRODUCED
2009 SESSION
08/03
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 4
A RESOLUTION supporting the Basel Convention on the international shipment of hazardous waste.
SPONSORS: Rep. Borden, Rock 18; Rep. B. Williams, Graf 8; Rep. Sad, Ches 2; Rep. Webb, Merr 2; Rep. S. Harvey, Hills 21
COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs
This house concurrent resolution urges Congress to support the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.
09-0827
08/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine
A RESOLUTION supporting the Basel Convention on the international shipment of hazardous waste.
Whereas, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was adopted on 22 March 1989 by the 116 States participating in the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Global Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes, which was convened by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and held in Basel at the invitation of the Government of Switzerland; and
Whereas, the Basel Convention entered into force on 5 May 1992 having been signed but not ratified by the United States; and
Whereas, the main objectives of the Convention are to reduce transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes to a minimum consistent with environmentally sound management; to treat and dispose of hazardous wastes and other wastes as close as possible to their source of generation in an environmentally sound manner; and to minimize the generation of hazardous wastes and other wastes in terms both of quantity and potential hazard; and
Whereas, the Basel Convention represents new norms, rules, and procedures in law governing the movements and disposal of hazardous wastes at international as well as national levels, and, in this context, represents the intention of the international community to solve a global environmental problem in a collective manner; and
Whereas, a regulatory system for the monitoring and control of hazardous wastes has been set up and is displayed in the full text of the convention; and
Whereas, some of the key elements of the regulatory system of the Basel Convention are the prior informed consent, the prohibition on exporting to a country which is not a contracting party to the convention, and the legal provisions for duty to re-import and the responsibility of states involved in the transboundary movements; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring;
That the general court of New Hampshire hereby urges the congressional delegation of the state of New Hampshrie to sponsor and support enabling legislation for the Basel Convention and, in particular, to require the United States Environmental Protection Agency to develop and implement rules and regulations that will prevent the inappropriate transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous wastes, including, but not limited to, waste electronic equipment; and
That the house clerk transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of the New Hampshire congressional delegation.