Senate Hearing on
Marine Emissions Reductions
On February 14, the Senate committee on Environment and Public Works conducted a legislative hearing on the Marine Vessel Emissions Reduction Act of 2007. The hearing examined the immediate need to curtail emissions by regulating and reassessing local measures, as opposed to waiting for the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) discussed the harmful air emissions from ships and the measures that would be required if her proposed legislation were enacted. "Large ocean going vessels -- container ships, tankers, and cruise ships -- are among the largest contributors to deadly diesel air pollution in our port communities. And with international trade projected to grow significantly, the problem will only get worse, unless something is done soon," Boxer said. Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK) pointed out that adoption of MARPOL Annex VI is preferable to enacting unilateral legislation. "The fact is that this law is bad for the U.S. It hurts our international competitiveness by raising the costs of exporting goods -- regardless of whether those goods are shipped on U.S. or foreign vessels. The fact is that this is a global issue and the executive branch is now negotiating a global approach. Moreover, the international marine emissions agreement (MARPOL Annex VI) prohibits unilateral action, so this could conflict with any international approach, making it inappropriate for Congress to enact this bill." Inhofe said." Senator David Vitter (R-LA) expressed concern about unintended consequences of this unilateral legislation, particularly for ports that are currently in compliance with applicable clean air requirements. "Marine vessel emissions are a global issue, and should be addressed from a global perspective. The U.S. has already submitted a proposal for stronger emissions standards to the International Maritime Organization, and they are currently examining it as an option. Supporting S.1499 would push the U.S. toward unilateral action, rather than global cooperation," Vitter said. Bryan Wood-Thomas, EPA, explained his agency's and IMO's efforts to date to reduce air emissions from ships. He said that the ability of the United States to influence further tightening of standards in MARPOL Annex VI will be undermined if the US does not soon ratify the Annex. "Marine vessels are already a significant source of air pollution in the United States and their relative contribution is rapidly growing. If we consider emissions within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States, marine vessels account for approximately 13 percent of NOx emissions, 17 percent of PM2.5 emissions, and 50 percent of SOx emissions. Without further action to regulate engine emissions and fuel quality, we expect that the relative contribution of emissions from marine vessels will grow rapidly as emissions from other sources are subjected to increasingly stringent controls." Bryan Wood-
Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (DCA) discussed the harmful air emissions from ships and the measures that would be required if her proposed legislation were enacted.
Senator Lautenberg points out the health impacts of ships on people in NJ.
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