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 Post subject: OT, but steam; February is “Save the Delta Queen” month.
PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 3:10 am 

Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2004 1:33 pm
Posts: 479
Location: Oroville, CA
February is “Save the Delta Queen” month.
Friends, this is a most unusual request; I am asking you to help save an American Icon, the Steamboat Delta Queen. What makes this unusual is that we are not asking for any money, but for a minute of your time to stand up and be counted that you believe the American Steamboat Heritage is important by writing or phoning your congressional representatives.
Here’s the issue in a nutshell: The Delta Queen steamboat has a wooden superstructure, so cannot operate without an exemption from the 1960s Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) law which forbids wooden superstructures on an overnight passenger boat. Because of the Delta Queens impeccable safety record spanning over 80 years, her modern fire suppression systems, and her ability to land on the river shore within minutes of a need, Congress has granted an exemption many times until 2008, when their inaction ended the Delta Queen’s travels. The boat has languished since then, but a new company owns her, and wants to run her again so folks can experience the great Steamboat era once more. To do so, they have two bills in congress that need to be acted upon; in the House, HR 1248, and in the Senate S 1717.
Would you please contact your representative and ask them to not only support but co-sponsor this non-partisan bill, which spends no money, just gives the Delta Queen permission to run again. We are hoping a “groundswell” of communications to Congress will get the bills voted upon. If you need your representative’s name, email, phone number or other contact information, go to this website: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
If you want to know more about the delta queen’s story, there is this u-tube video from 2007: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdD0LYHv2N4
And a video on the safety equipment on board: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiB7aQoOPhg
And if you don’t think you have time to email your representatives, there is an online vote page for each bill: https://washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/114_HR_1248.html
And https://washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/114_SN_1717
These votes, though do not have the impact that an email or call from you does!


Here is a sample text you may use, please feel free to personalize it however you wish:

Honorable _____;
I am writing you today to ask you to support and co-sponsor HR 1248 (or S 1717) as it will help save a piece of American Heritage, the Legendary Steamboat Delta Queen, by giving her permission to operate on the American Inland Waterways. She has a spotless safety record going back over 80 years, and will provide jobs and tourism to the many small towns along those waterways; all this at no cost to Congress or to our tax dollars.
In these days of complex issues, this is a simple one; please don’t let it be overlooked in this busy election year. Thank you.
Sincerely,
_________

_________________
Steamcerely,
David Dewey
Hoping for the return to the American Rivers of the last overnight steamboat, Delta Queen!


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