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RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PADUCAH,
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, URGING THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS TO ACT WITH ALL DELIBERATE SPEED TO RENEW THE
EXEMPTION OF THE STEAMBOAT DELTA QUEEN FROM THE TERMS OF
THE SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA ACT
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WHERAS, the steamboat Delta Queen was built in 1926 to operate as a
passenger vessel in California between Sacramento and San Francisco, and later saw
service in the United States Navy as a ferry for wounded being treated in San Francisco;
and
WHEREAS, after decommissioning in 1947, the Delta Queen was
purchased by the owner of Greene Line Steamers, underwent a comprehensive refit, and
has been carrying passengers on the inland waterways of the United States ever since;
and
WHEREAS, the Delta Queen has become one of the last remaining
symbols of the nation's proud tradition of inland waterway travel and recreation while
establishing itself as a priceless example of shipping history, typified by its recognition as
a National Historic Landmark in 1989; and
WHEREAS, the Delta Queen has secured its position as one of the most
beloved icons of the past in the hearts of passengers, crew and individuals who have been
fortunate enough to see her throughout her decades of safe and reliable service; and
WHEREAS, the Delta Queen is economically and historically important
to the many river communities she visits, including Paducah, both by providing visitors
to the area and by showcasing the City, and in the process emphasizing the historic
importance of our rivers to the economic vitality of the region; and
WHEREAS, the Safety of Life at Sea Act requires that all passenger
vessels having berth or stateroom accommodations for fifty or more passengers must
comply with certain safety requirements, most notably applying to fire safety; and
WHEREAS, the Delta Queen's wooden superstructure has been treated
extensively with fire retardant materials to augment its sprinkler system; and
WHEREAS, the steamboat "Delta Queen" has been granted repeated
exemptions from the Safety of Life at Sea Act since 1966; and
WHEREAS, the current exemption is due to expire in 2008 and, although
the Delta Queen's safety record does not appear to support the conclusion that it is
somehow less safe than it has been in the 41 years that it has sailed under various
exemptions, Congress has yet to conform to its well established practice of acting to
permit the vessel to continue its service;
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE
CITY OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY:
SECTION 1 The City of Paducah hereby urges the United States
Congress to act with all deliberate speed to renew the exemption of the steamboat "Delta
Queen" from the terms of the Safety of Life at Sea Act in order to allow her to continue
the legacy of her sister ships by serving as a tangible connection between the people of
the United States and their heritage of river travel.
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SECTION 2. That this resolution shall take effect upon adoption as
provided by law.
ATTEST:
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Tammara S. Brock, City Clerk
Adopted by the Board of Commissioners, November 13, 2007
Recorded by Tammara S. Brock, City Clerk, November 13, 2007
~resoln~Delta Queen
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