Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2008

A bill to establish national standards for discharges from cruise vessels into the waters of the United States, and for other purposes.

4/17/2008--Introduced.
Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2008 - Prohibits cruise vessels calling on U.S. ports from discharging sewage, graywater, or bilge water into U.S. waters unless:
(1) the treated effluent meets specified effluent limits and management standards;
(2) the vessel is proceeding at not less than six knots;
(3) the vessel is not less than 12 nautical miles from shore; and
(4) the vessel is not in a no discharge zone. Prohibits the discharge of sewage sludge, incinerator ash, or hazardous waste into U.S. waters and requires it to be off-loaded at appropriate land-based facilities. Prescribes exceptions for:
(1) discharges solely to secure the safety of a vessel or to save a life at sea; and
(2) Alaskan vessels until 10 years after enactment.
Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate such effluent limits that:
(1) are consistent with the capability of the best available technology to treat effluent;
(2) require compliance with state and federal water quality standards;
(3) take into account the best available scientific information on environmental effects; and
(4) require treated discharges to meet specified standards for minimum effluent quality, fecal coliform, and residual chlorine. Requires the EPA Administrator to implement a sampling and testing program, and requires the Commandant of the Coast Guard to implement an inspection program, sufficient to verify that such vessels are in compliance with this Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and other applicable federal laws and international agreements. Requires the Commandant to establish a program for the placement of trained independent observers on vessels to monitor and inspect vessel operations, equipment, and discharges. Requires the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to carry out a pilot program to develop and promote commercialization of technologies to provide federal agencies data regarding discharges from vessels and functioning of vessel components relating to fuel consumption and air and water pollution control.
Calls for enactment of standards for:
(1) ballast water; and
(2) air quality regarding incineration and engine activities of vessels.
Establishes the Cruise Vessel Pollution Control Fund. Requires the Commandant to collect fees from vessels for paying passengers to be deposited in such Fund for use in carrying out this Act.


... morehide bill summary

Sponsor

• Sen. Richard Durbin [D, IL]

Committees

• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to S.2881

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
April 17, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Introduced on Apr 17, 2008.
• Apr 17, 2008: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3147-3148)
• Apr 17, 2008: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

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Related Bills:

• H.R.6434

Related Issue Areas:

• Water pollution
• Administrative fees
• Administrative procedure
• Air pollution
• 50 more
• Air pollution control
• Alaska
• Bacterial diseases
• Budgets
• Business
• Business records
• Chlorine
• Coast guard
• Commercialization
• Energy
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Environmental health
• Environmental law enforcement
• Environmental monitoring
• Environmental protection
• Environmental technology
• Executive departments
• Fines (Penalties)
• Foreign policy
• Fuel consumption
• Government information
• Government paperwork
• Government trust funds
• Great Lakes
• Hazardous substances
• Hazardous wastes
• Incineration
• International affairs
• International environmental cooperation
• Law
• Marine engines
• Marine pollution
• Marine resources
• Medical care
• Medicine
• Passenger ships
• Sewage disposal
• Sewage sludge
• Solid wastes
• Standards
• State and local government
• State laws
• Technological innovations
• Technology
• Transportation
• Waste disposal in the ocean
• Waste disposal sites
• Water pollution control
• Water quality
• Whistle blowing

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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Blog Coverage

November 19, 2008 Crunchy Chicken: Floating fecal funship

Everyone might want to know that S. 2881, the Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2008, was introduced by Sen. Richard Durbin in April of this year. This is the fifth attempt to get legislation passed on this issue (all others have died in ...

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Source: Crunchy Chicken

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October 11, 2008 The need for cruise control

Richard Durbin, D-Ill., to recently introduce the Clean Cruise Ship Act (S. 2881), which would ban discharges in U.S. waters and set federal discharge and monitoring standards offshore. Durban's press release stated: "Cruise ship ...

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Source: Crosscut: Animals / Wildlife

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July 10, 2008 WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 6434, The Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2008

The Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2008 (S. 2881). See Bills on the Same Subject: Administrative fees, Administrative procedure, Air pollution, Air pollution control, Alaska, Bacterial diseases, Budgets, Business, ...

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Source: WashingtonWatch.com - New Laws

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