Mayor Asks Council to Support the Queen

Delta Queen Resolution (EVANSVILLE, IN) – Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel is asking the Evansville City Council tonight to approve a resolution urging Congress to extend an exemption that will allow the 82 year old Delta Queen to stay afloat. The “Safety at Sea” law, which was enacted in 1966, says a passenger vessel which sleeps 50 or more must be constructed with fire-retardant materials. The Delta Queen has a steel hull but a wooden superstructure. In 1968, Congress amended the “Safety at Sea” law to exempt the Delta Queen and vessels like it. Supporters of the exemption say the law was aimed at ocean-going vessels and that the Delta Queen has a good safety record. The Delta Queen has been granted an exemption on nine consecutive occasions. HR 3852, which is currently in the House, would extend the exemption from November 2008 until November 2018 but there has been no vote. More than 100 cities and towns have already passed resolutions calling on Congress to extend the boat’s long-standing exemption. The Delta Queen was last in Evansville in August 2006. It landed at the new municipal dock and passengers toured the LST. The boat has already made two stops in Henderson this year with two more planned for later this fall. Passengers will often visit tourist sites in Henderson and Evansville when the Delta Queen is docked here, which translates into more tourist dollars for our economy. The Delta Queen is the last steam sternwheeler operating on the inland waters of the U.S. During World War II, she was commissioned by the U.S. Navy to serve as a troop transport ferry in San Francisco Bay. She is a registered historic treasure of the Department of the Interior, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is a National Historic Landmark and is also a member of the National Maritime Hall of Fame. RESOLUTION NO. 2008- A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE DELTA QUEEN WHEREAS, the Delta Queen is the last survivor of a once thriving fleet of steam sternwheelers plying the inland waters of the United States carrying overnight passengers on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and WHEREAS, the Delta Queen is of great historic import with a rich history on the inland waterways but she will be forced out of commission unless Congress acts to allow her to continue to operate, and WHEREAS, she is a U.S. flagged vessel with an all American crew which, during World War II, was commissioned by the United States Navy to serve as a troop transport ferry in the San Francisco Bay, and WHEREAS, she is a registered historic treasure of the Department of the Interior, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is a National Historic Landmark and is also a member of the National Maritime Hall of Fame, and WHEREAS, on nine (9) consecutive occasions since 1968 the Delta Queen has received an operating exemption from Congress acknowledging her wooden superstructure, and WHEREAS, a Resolution in the United States House of Representatives, H.R. 3852, has been introduced which would again extend the fire-retardant materials construction exemption from November 2008 to 2018, thus allowing the Delta Queen to continue to operate on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and WHEREAS, this resolution has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure but to date the Committee Chair has failed to call the Resolution to vote to extend the exemption and, WHEREAS, if action is not taken before November 1, 2008, the exemption will expire and the 82-year old Delta Queen will be forced to be taken out of commission, and WHEREAS, the citizens and residents of Evansville, Indiana, committed as they are to historic preservation, garner great enjoyment and a connection to America’s history from their interaction with the Delta Queen when she traverses the Ohio River at Evansville and its environs. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana: The Committee on Transportation and of the United States House of Representatives should be allowed to vote on the proposed resolution HR 3852, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana: The Committee should recommend passage of HR 3852 to the United States House of Representatives, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana: That the Untied States House of Representatives should adopt HR 3852, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana: This Resolution shall be forwarded to United States Representative James Oberstar, 2365 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 and at 231 Federal Building, Duluth, MN 55802; to United States Representative Brad Ellsworth, 513 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515-1408 and at 101 Martin Luther King Blvd, Evansville, In. 47708; and to the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana at 340 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202 and P.O. Box 20215, Evansville, IN 47708. PASSED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA ON THE _____ DAY OF _____________________, 2008, ON SAID DAY SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMON COUNCIL AND ATTESTED BY THE CITY CLERK. __________________________________________ PRESIDENT, COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA ATTEST: PRESENTED BY ME, THE UNDERSIGNED CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, TO THE MAYOR OF SAID CITY, THIS _____ DAY OF ______________________, 2008 AT _____________ O’CLOCK ____.M. FOR HIS CONSIDERATION AND ACTION THEREON. __________________________________________ CITY CLERK CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA APPROVED: __________________________________________ DAVID L. JONES, CORPORATION COUNSEL CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA HAVING EXAMINED THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE, I DO NOW, AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, APPROVE SAID ORDINANCE AND RETURN THE SAME TO THE CITY CLERK THIS _____ DAY OF ____________________, 2008, AT _______________ O’CLOCK _____.M. _________________________________________ JONATHAN D. WEINZAPFEL, MAYOR CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA