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EPA prepared the
Cruise Ship Discharge Assessment Report (Assessment Report) to complete its response to
a petition the Bluewater Network submitted on behalf of a number of
environmental advocacy organizations. On December 20, 2007, EPA invited comment on the
draft Cruise Ship Discharge Assessment Report (draft Assessment Report),
and specifically requested public input on options, alternatives, and
recommendations for addressing the waste streams assessed in the draft
Assessment Report. After consideration of public comments and other
available information, EPA completed the Assessment Report. On December 30, 2008, the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water
signed the
Federal Register notice (PDF)
(4 pp, 90K, About PDF) of availability of the Assessment
Report, thereby concluding EPA's response to the Bluewater Network
petition.
The Assessment Report examines five primary cruise ship waste streams:
sewage, graywater, oily bilge water, solid waste, and hazardous waste.
For each waste stream, the Assessment Report discusses (1) the nature
and volume of the waste stream generated; (2) existing federal
regulations applicable to the waste stream; (3) environmental
management, including treatment, of the waste stream; (4) potential
adverse environmental impacts of the waste stream; (5) actions by the
federal government to address the waste stream; and (6) a wide range of
options and alternatives to address the waste stream from cruise ships.
EPA’s full response to the petition (PDF)
(9 pp, 644K, About PDF) from the Bluewater Network was signed by EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Water on January 31, 2008.
Background
On March 17, 2000, the EPA Administrator received a petition from the Bluewater
Network (PDF) (11 pp, 1.7MB, About PDF) on behalf of 53 organizations asking the Agency to assess, and where necessary control,
cruise ship discharges. On August 2, 2000, the Bluewater Network submitted an
addendum to their petition (PDF) (3 pp, 284K, About PDF) requesting that EPA also examine and make recommendations on how to
address air pollution from cruise ships, both from engine emissions and from shipboard incinerators.
EPA also received a resolution (PDF)
(4 pp, 773K, About PDF) by the Central Council of The Tlingit-Haida Tribes of Alaska requesting federal action to control cruise ship
discharges. In addition, over 250 postcards from private individuals and several e-mail messages were sent to EPA asking for actions to stop pollution
from cruise ships.
EPA’s Cruise Ship White Paper (PDF)
(19 pp, 60K, About PDF) provides some preliminary background information and recommendations regarding EPA’s assessment of
cruise ship discharges.
If you have problems accessing these scanned documents, please send an e-mail to cruise.ships@epa.gov.
Cruise Ship Discharges home
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