<a id="pl.1.1"></a><var>1.1</var>A resolution<br/>
<a id="pl.1.2"></a><var>1.2</var>memorializing the President and Congress and others to protect the Great Lakes from <br/>
<a id="pl.1.3"></a><var>1.3</var>aquatic invasive species.<br/>
<a id="pl.1.4"></a><var>1.4</var>WHEREAS, the Great Lakes are a tremendous value to Minnesota as an environmental and <br/>
<a id="pl.1.5"></a><var>1.5</var>economic resource, both as the world's largest body of fresh water and as a crucial international <br/>
<a id="pl.1.6"></a><var>1.6</var>shipping channel; and<br/>
<a id="pl.1.7"></a><var>1.7</var>WHEREAS, ballast water discharges from ships entering the Great Lakes are the leading <br/>
<a id="pl.1.8"></a><var>1.8</var>pathway for the introduction of aquatic invasive species, with more than 30 new species being <br/>
<a id="pl.1.9"></a><var>1.9</var>introduced in the last 50 years; and<br/>
<a id="pl.1.10"></a><var>1.10</var>WHEREAS, current federal ballast water regulations designed to protect the Great Lakes <br/>
<a id="pl.1.11"></a><var>1.11</var>are ineffective. At least 11 new aquatic invasive species have been introduced from ballast water <br/>
<a id="pl.1.12"></a><var>1.12</var>since current requirements for ballast water exchange with open ocean water went into effect, <br/>
<a id="pl.1.13"></a><var>1.13</var>including the recent introduction of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) that directly threatens <br/>
<a id="pl.1.14"></a><var>1.14</var>the Great Lakes fishery; and<br/>
<a id="pl.1.15"></a><var>1.15</var>WHEREAS, Minnesota's Lake Superior ports provide Minnesota farmers, miners, and <br/>
<a id="pl.1.16"></a><var>1.16</var>manufacturers with access to foreign markets through the Great Lakes/Saint Lawrence Seaway, <br/>
<a id="pl.1.17"></a><var>1.17</var>with nearly 41.7 million metric tons of maritime cargo through the Port of Duluth-Superior in <br/>
<a id="pl.1.18"></a><var>1.18</var>exchange for approximately 35.4 million metric tons of untreated ballast water in 2005; and<br/>
<a id="pl.1.19"></a><var>1.19</var>WHEREAS, current federal laws and enforcement governing the introduction of aquatic <br/>
<a id="pl.1.20"></a><var>1.20</var>invasive species into United States waters via ballast water of ocean-going and Great Lakes <br/>
<a id="pl.1.21"></a><var>1.21</var>ships and other sources are inadequate; and<br/>
<a id="pl.2.1"></a><var>2.1</var>WHEREAS, the United States Congress and the legislatures of the Great Lakes states have <br/>
<a id="pl.2.2"></a><var>2.2</var>the authority and responsibility for protecting the health and safety of their citizens and to protect <br/>
<a id="pl.2.3"></a><var>2.3</var>and preserve the waters of the Great Lakes; NOW, THEREFORE,<br/>
<a id="pl.2.4"></a><var>2.4</var>BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota:<br/>
<a id="pl.2.5"></a><var>2.5</var>That the Minnesota Legislature has a great concern for the protection of its environmental <br/>
<a id="pl.2.6"></a><var>2.6</var>and economic resources now imminently threatened by the VHS fish killing viruses invading <br/>
<a id="pl.2.7"></a><var>2.7</var>Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario;<br/>
<a id="pl.2.8"></a><var>2.8</var>That the Minnesota Legislature urges the United States Congress to acknowledge the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.9"></a><var>2.9</var>urgency of this problem and move quickly to enact federal legislation to establish a strong ballast <br/>
<a id="pl.2.10"></a><var>2.10</var>water regulatory program that would establish uniform standards, which Great Lakes states may <br/>
<a id="pl.2.11"></a><var>2.11</var>supplement in order to meet their responsibilities to protect the health and safety of their citizens <br/>
<a id="pl.2.12"></a><var>2.12</var>and the integrity of their natural resources; and<br/>
<a id="pl.2.13"></a><var>2.13</var>That the Minnesota Legislature declares its support for a revised "Great Ships Initiative," <br/>
<a id="pl.2.14"></a><var>2.14</var>applicable to Great Lakes monitoring and enforcement of aquatic invasive species prohibition <br/>
<a id="pl.2.15"></a><var>2.15</var>and prevention efforts, a research and development project funded jointly by the Indiana Port <br/>
<a id="pl.2.16"></a><var>2.16</var>Commission and other Great Lakes ports, the U. S. Department of Transportation, the National <br/>
<a id="pl.2.17"></a><var>2.17</var>Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and other agencies with the revised goals of accelerating and <br/>
<a id="pl.2.18"></a><var>2.18</var>improving existing applicable disinfection technology and the development of monitoring <br/>
<a id="pl.2.19"></a><var>2.19</var>methods for disease and other invasive organisms and availability of ballast water treatment <br/>
<a id="pl.2.20"></a><var>2.20</var>technology.<br/>
<a id="pl.2.21"></a><var>2.21</var>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the  State of Minnesota is <br/>
<a id="pl.2.22"></a><var>2.22</var>directed to prepare copies of this  memorial and transmit them to the President of  the United <br/>
<a id="pl.2.23"></a><var>2.23</var>States, the President and the Secretary of the  United States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk <br/>
<a id="pl.2.24"></a><var>2.24</var>of the United  States House of Representatives, Minnesota's Senators and  Representatives in <br/>
<a id="pl.2.25"></a><var>2.25</var>Congress, federal agencies that regulate maritime transportation, the Great Lakes Commission, <br/>
<a id="pl.2.26"></a><var>2.26</var>and the International Joint Commission, United States-Canada.<br/>