The effect cruise ships have on the Alaskan marine environment has been in the public forefront for many years. Voters passed an initiative in 2006 that set new standards for cruise ship discharges that the industry claims are unobtainable. Trade groups like the Alaska Travel Industry Association and Alaska Cruise Association have been working to weaken the standards set in the 2006 vote of the people.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Cruise Ship Discharge Assessment Report is the first national account made by the agency on discharge standards utilized in Alaska waters. This report by the EPA was prompted by a petition filed by the Bluewater Network, an advocacy group composed of 53 different environmental organizations.
Five different waste streams were reviewed in the assessment report; they are sewage, graywater, oily bilge water, solid waste and hazardous waste. The EPA goes on in the report to carefully describe the nature of each discharge, indentifies the ecological impacts that could be associated with it, relates management practices currently used to deal with the wastes and details federal regulations in effect for the waste stream.
A number of options are forwarded in the report as ways to address cruise ship discharges. Many came to the agency through the public comment process. Options and alternatives discussed include:
- Establishment of a national sampling program that would improve baseline information on the discharges
- Further study the cumulative effect of cruise ships on human health in coastal zones
- Support research and development of technologies that can better manage cruise ship waste streams
- Bring research funding into local geographic areas that could suffer unique impacts from discharges
- Improve the strength of watchdog and enforcement tools or regulations
- Work to encourage industry self regulation and recognize environmentally friendly operators
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Cruise Ship Discharges webpage offers a number of resources for those interested in learning more about the issue. It is likely that the Alaska Legislature will address the issues related to cruise ship wastes again in the next legislative season.
Copyright © 2009 by Alan Sorum
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