U.S. House defeats Delta Queen exemption

By PATRICK COOLEY, Special to The News
MARIETTA — A decade ago, Marilyn Schafer of Marietta cruised on the Delta Queen as it made its way along the Ohio River.

She said it was a wonderful trip, but it’s something she may never get the chance to do again.

A 10-year exemption to the Safety at Sea Act, which bans overnight cruises on boats with wooden superstructures, was defeated 208-195 in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday. The exemption would have allowed the Delta Queen to continue operating.

The 82-year-old steamboat has been given nine exemptions since 1968, but the current one expires Nov. 1.

“It’s like going back in time,” Schafer said about riding on the Queen. “The food is wonderful; the entertainment is great. Being on the boat (with) the water and scenery is just a wonderful vacation.”

The Coast Guard will not certify the Delta Queen because its wooden superstructure does not fall under the agency’s fire-retardant materials regulations. U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn. and chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, cited safety issues before Congress Thursday, saying there was a generator room fire on March 22, which was quickly contained by the Delta Queen’s carbon dioxide extinguishing system.

Kelly Blazosky, executive director of the Marietta/Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the Delta Queen has never had a life-threatening incident.

The steamboat is scheduled to come through Marietta 10 times this year, according to the bureau.

“We get calls when the travel seasons for the boats start ... from local people and people outside of town about when the boats are going to be here. They plan their trip around when they will be in Marietta,” Blazosky said.

The area’s two representatives split on the issue, with U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-Ohio, voting for the exemption while fellow Ohio Democrat Zack Space voted against it because of safety reasons, Space’s press secretary said Friday.

“Congressman Space recognizes and respects the enormous role the Delta Queen has played in American history, but the issue for him came down to the potential loss of life for people riding the boat,” press secretary Matt Thorton said.

Marietta Mayor Michael Mullen called the failure of the exemption a travesty.

“The Delta Queen represents that state of Americana that is what river towns are all about,” he said. “As we are one of the preeminent river towns on the Ohio River, it’s a great loss.

“When you look at our heritage, more than 160 steamboats were built in Marietta. The Delta Queen represented one of the last living memorials to that place in our history,” he said.