February 11, 2009

Alaska Cruise Industry Wants Strict Water-Pollution Rule Abolished

Bookmark and Share Email this story Print this post Add your comments

The Alaska cruise industry is having trouble getting traction with legislators to abolish a strict water-pollution rule approved by voters in 2006, Anchorage Daily News reports.

The cruise lines and some communities see the environmental rule as detrimental to tourism.

The 2006 law requires cruise ships to meet tougher pollution standards and puts new taxes, fees and environmental monitoring on the industry. It also bans cruise lines from applying for state permission to use mixing zones. Mixing zones allow cruise lines to discharge pollution that exceed the state’s water-quality standards. The mixing ban for cruise lines goes into effect in 2009.

House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau, says revising the pollution rules may be a hard sell and seems premature because the cruise lines have until next year to comply.

Cruise ships emit three times more CO2 than airplanes, EL reported last year.

Cruise ships contend they are working hard to lessen their environmental impact. Royal Caribbean said it had installed advanced water purification systems on board and smokeless gas-turbine engines and that it also burns bio-fuel when available.

Bookmark and Share Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

Could Royal Caribbean tell us more about the “advanced water purification systems”? Do these use the least amount of energy possible (lowest CO2) to produce fresh water, OR, are they “advanced” because they take up very little physical space on board BUT burn significantly more fuel to produce water? How many kWhr to produce 1000 liters or fresh water? And how does that compare to best practice desalination? I think we know the answer to those questions, but it’s interesting that the cruise lines are trying to give the impression that they are caring for the environment when they say they use “advanced” technology, whereas the technology is actually “advanced” towards a different goal, not towards the environment.

Get EL Daily in your inbox, subscribe to free newsletter

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

  • 11/20/2009
  • 11/19/2009
  • 11/18/2009

Recent Jobs

Post a Job
Jobs powered by Simply Hired

Comments and Discussions

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."