Statements On Introduced Bills And Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

By Mr. DURBIN:

S. 1820. A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish national standards for discharges from cruise vessels; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2009. This bill would address a serious and growing threat to U.S. waters by placing limits on the dumping of wastewater by cruise ships. Cruise ships generate millions of gallons of wastewater every day--much of it vile sewage. These ships can directly dump their waste into the oceans with minimal oversight.

This bill would require cruise ships to obtain permits through EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System in order to discharge sewage, graywater, and bilge water. It also would require cruise ships to upgrade their wastewater treatment systems to meet the standards of today's best available technology. This technology significantly reduces the pollutants that ships discharge and is already being used successfully on cruise ships in Alaska, thanks to that state's forward-thinking regulations.

The problem is real. The number of cruise ship passengers has been growing nearly twice as fast as any other mode of travel. In the U.S. alone the numbers are approaching ten million passengers a year, with some ships carrying 3,000 or more passengers. These ships produce massive amounts of waste: one ship can produce over 200,000 gallons of sewage each week; a million gallons of graywater from kitchens, laundry, and showers; and over 25,000 gallons of oily bilge water that collects in ship bottoms.

I have nothing against cruise vacations. They can be a wonderful way to visit beautiful places. What my bill proposes to do is change the way the cruise ships manage the removal of waste. Here is the unpleasant reality. Within three miles of shore, vessels can discharge human body wastes and other toilet waste provided that a ``marine sanitation device'' is installed. The Environmental Protection Agency released a report in December of 2008, however, that concluded that these systems simply don't work. These sewage treatment devices leave discharges that consistently exceed national effluent standards for fecal coliform and other pathogens and pollutants. In fact, fecal coliform levels in effluent are typically 20 to 200 times greater than in untreated domestic wastewater.

Beyond three miles from shore there are no restrictions on sewage discharge. Cruise ships can directly dump raw sewage into U.S. waters.

The situation with cruise ship graywater also requires attention. While cruise ships must obtain permits to discharge graywater within three miles of the coast, there is still a pollution issue. Graywater from sinks, tubs, and kitchens contains large amounts of pathogens and pollutants. Fecal coliform concentrations, for example, are 10 to 1000 times greater than those in untreated domestic wastewater. These pollutants sicken our marine ecosystems, wash up onto our beaches, and contaminate food and shellfish that end up on our dinner plates.

Beyond 3 miles from shore there are no restrictions on graywater discharge. Cruise ships can directly dump graywater into U.S. waters.

Following the lead of Alaska, the Clean Cruise Ship Act seeks to address these oversights. No discharges would be allowed within twelve miles of shore. Beyond twelve miles, discharges of sewage, graywater, and bilge water would be allowed, provided that they meet national effluent limits consistent with the best available technology. That technology works and is commercially available now. The recent Environmental Protection Agency study found that these ``advanced wastewater treatment'' systems effectively remove pathogens, suspended solids, metals, and oil and grease.

Under this legislation, the release of raw, untreated sewage would be banned. No dumping of sewage sludge and incinerator ash would be allowed in U.S. waters. All cruise ships calling on U.S. ports would have to dispose of hazardous waste in accordance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The bill would establish inspection and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance.

The protection of U.S. waters is vital to our Nation's health and economy. The oceans not only support the life of nearly 50 percent of all species on Earth, but they also provide 20 percent of the animal protein and 5 percent of the total protein in the human diet.

Some cruise ship companies already are trying to improve their environmental footprint. They also want to preserve the environment that attracts their passengers. But the efforts between cruise ship companies are not uniform. A Federal standard would apply one set of requirements to all companies.

It is time to bring the cruise ship industry into the 21st century. It is time to update the laws that protect our oceans, and urge adoption of the best available wastewater treatment technology at sea.

Working together, we can support the industry while protecting the natural treasures that are our oceans. I think the approach taken in the Clean Cruise Ship Act will achieve that goal. I encourage my colleagues here in the Senate to work with me to pass legislation that will put a stop to the dumping of hazardous pollutants along our coasts. Together we can clean up this major source of pollution that is harming our waters.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source