20 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [May 25

The Bill would attempt to curb the pollution of the waters of our
State by making it mandatory that bilge pumps on all ships entering
the waters of our State be sealed to prevent the discharge of oil.

Objections to the Bill have been registered by many organizations
connected with the shipping industry, including the Maryland Port Au-
thority, as well as the Department of Tidewater Fisheries, which Depart-
ment was charged with enforcing the provisions of the Bill.

Their objections are summarized in the following excerpts from a
letter I received from the Maryland Port Authority:

1. "Compliance with the proposed law would place an undue hard-
ship on vessels engaged in international trade between Baltimore
and other world ports. Ship operating efficiency and safety
require taking on and discharging of water ballast in keeping
with weather conditions, cargo aboard, and other factors.

2. Sealing of bilge pumps is believed to be not practical inasmuch
as the bilge pump system on some vessels is an intricate part
of the ship's overall water system.

3. While the seals could be distributed by members of the Maryland
Pilots Association on such vessels as they board, there is no
provision for placing the seals aboard the large number of ships
that do not take on pilots to transverse the Bay, nor is there
any provision for sealing pumps of the many smaller craft,
such as self-propelling oil barges, that operate within the Bay.

4. This measure, if enacted, would cause considerable confusion
among ship operators. To our knowledge, no such law applies in
any other water areas of the United State nor abroad.

5. One of the principal objectives of the Maryland Port Authority
is to make the Port of Baltimore as attractive as possible to the
operator of ships in world trade. The restrictions called for in
Senate Bill 51 would be viewed by ship operators in a most un-
favorable light and would tend to discourage ship service at
Baltimore.

6. The dissemination of information on existing restrictions against
oil pollution of Chesapeake Bay waters by steamships and rigid
enforcement of such existing regulations against such pollution
would, in our opinion, be more effective in bringing about the
objective sought in Senate Bill 51. "

Although I am in complete sympathy with the laudable objectives of
the Bill, I felt compelled to veto it for the reasons set forth above.

With kindest personal regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

J. MILLARD TAWES,

Governor
JMT: rnb

Vetoed by the Governor, April 6, 1962

Senate Bill No. 51—By Senator Phipps:

AN ACT to add new Section 40A to Article 66C of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1957 Edition), title "Natural Resources", sub-title "In
General", sub-heading "Water Pollution Control Commission", to follow