[105th Congress Public Law 381]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
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[DOCID: f:publ381.105]
[[Page 3401]]
PACIFIC NORTHWEST EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT
[[Page 112 STAT. 3402]]
Public Law 105-381
105th Congress
Joint Resolution
Granting the consent of Congress to the Pacific Northwest Emergency
Management Arrangement. <<NOTE: Nov. 12, 1998 - [S.J. Res. 35]>>
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL CONSENT. <<NOTE: State listing. Canada.>>
Congress consents to the Pacific Northwest Emergency Management
Arrangement entered into between the States of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon,
and Washington, and the Province of British Columbia and the Yukon
Territory. The arrangement is substantially as follows:
``PACIFIC NORTHWEST EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT
``Whereas, Pacific Northwest emergency management arrangement
between the government of the States of Alaska, the government of
the State of Idaho, the government of the State of Oregon, the
government of the State of Washington, the government of the State
of the Providence of British Columbia, and the government of Yukon
Territory hereinafter referred to collectively as the `Signatories'
and separately as a `Signatory';
``Whereas, the Signatories recognize the importance of comprehensive
and coordinated civil emergency preparedness, response and recovery
measures for natural and technological emergencies or disasters, and
for declared or undeclared hostilities including enemy attack;
``Whereas, the Signatories further recognize the benefits of
coordinating their separate emergency preparedness, response and
recovery measures with that of contiguous jurisdictions for those
emergencies, disasters, or hostilities affecting or potentially
affecting any one or more of the Signatories in the Pacific
Northwest; and
``Whereas, the Signatories further recognize that regionally based
emergency preparedness, response and recovery measures will benefit
all jurisdictions within the Pacific Northwest, and best serve their
respective national interests in cooperative and coordinated
emergency preparedness as facilitated by the Consultative Group on
Comprehensive Civil Emergency and Management established in the
Agreement Between the government of the United States of America and
the government of Canada on Cooperation and Comprehensive Civil
Emergency Planning and Management signed at Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
on April 28,
[[Page 112 STAT. 3403]]
1986: Now, therefore, be it is hereby agreed by and between each and
all of the Signatories hereto as follows:
``advisory committee
``(1) An advisory committee named the Western Regional Emergency
Management Advisory Committee (W-REMAC) shall be established which will
include one member appointed by each Signatory.
``(2) The W-REMAC will be guided by the agreed-upon Terms of
Reference-Annex A.
``principles of cooperation
``(3) Subject to the laws of each Signatory, the following
cooperative principles are to be used as a guide by the Signatories in
civil emergency matters which may affect more than one Signatory:
``(A) The authorities of each Signatory may seek the advice,
cooperation, or assistance of any other Signatory in any civil
emergency matter.
``(B) Nothing in the arrangement shall derogate from the
applicable laws within the jurisdiction of any Signatory.
However, the authorities of any Signatory may request from the
authorities of any other signatory appropriate alleviation of
such laws if their normal application might lead to delay or
difficulty in the rapid execution of necessary civil emergency
measures.
``(C) Each Signatory will use its best efforts to facilitate
the movement of evacuees, refugees, civil emergency personnel,
equipment or other resources into or across its territory, or to
a designated staging area when it is agreed that such movement
or staging will facilitate civil emergency operations by the
affected or participating Signatories.
``(D) In times of emergency, each Signatory will use its
best efforts to ensure that the citizens or residents of any
other Signatory present in its territory are provided emergency
health services and emergency social services in a manner no
less favorable than that provided to its own citizens.
``(E) Each Signatory will use discretionary power as far as
possible to avoid levy of any tax, tariff, business license, or
user fees on the services, equipment, and supplies of any other
Signatory which is engaged in civil emergency activities in the
territory of another Signatory, and will use its best efforts to
encourage local governments or other jurisdictions within its
territory to do likewise.
``(F) When civil emergency personnel, contracted firms or
personnel, vehicles, equipment, or other services from any
Signatory are made available to or are employed to assist any
other Signatory, all providing Signatories will use best efforts
to ensure that charges, levies, or costs for such use or
assistance will not exceed those paid for similar use of such
resources within their own territory.
``(G) Each Signatory will exchange contact lists, warning
and notification plans, and selected emergency plans and will
call to the attention of their respective local governments and
[[Page 112 STAT. 3404]]
other jurisdictional authorities in areas adjacent to
intersignatory boundaries, the desirability of compatibility of
civil emergency plans and the exchange of contact lists, warning
and notification plans, and selected emergency plans.
``(H) The authority of any Signatory conducting an exercise
will ensure that all other signatories are provided an
opportunity to observe, and/or participate in such exercises.
``comprehensive nature
``(4) This document is a comprehensive arrangement on civil
emergency planning and management. To this end and from time to time as
necessary, all Signatories shall--
``(A) review and exchange their respective contact lists,
warning and notification plans, and selected emergency plans;
and
``(B) as appropriate, provide such plans and procedures to
local governments, and other emergency agencies within their
respective territories.
``arrangement not exclusive
``(5) This is not an exclusive arrangement and shall not prevent or
limit other civil emergency arrangements of any nature between
Signatories to this arrangement. In the event of any conflicts between
the provisions of this arrangement and any other arrangement regarding
emergency service entered into by two or more States of the United
States who are Signatories to this arrangement, the provisions of that
other arrangement shall apply, with respect to the obligations of those
States to each other, and not the conflicting provisions of this
arrangement.
``amendments
``(6) This Arrangement and the Annex may be amended (and additional
Annexes may be added) by arrangement of the Signatories.
``(7) Any Signatory to this Arrangement may withdraw from or cancel
their participation in this Arrangement by giving sixty days, written
notice in advance of this effective date to all other Signatories.
``(8) All Signatories to this Arrangement warrant they have the
power and capacity to accept, execute, and deliver this Arrangement.
``(9) Notwithstanding any dates noted elsewhere, this Arrangement
shall commence April 1, 1996.''.
SEC. 2. INCONSISTENCY OF LANGUAGE.
The validity of the arrangements consented to by this Act shall not
be affected by any insubstantial difference in their form or language as
adopted by the States and provinces.
[[Page 112 STAT. 3405]]
SEC. 3. RIGHT TO ALTER, AMEND, OR REPEAL.
The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly
reserved.
Approved November 12, 1998.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S.J. Res. 35:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 144 (1998):
July 31, considered and passed Senate.
Oct. 15, considered and passed House.
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