California’s 1,100-mile coastline includes some of the most unique and productive waters in the world. It is home to many endangered species and is enjoyed by swimmers, surfers, and water sports enthusiasts. The animals and activities not only hold inherent value for their beauty and fun, they also have economic value to the state – economic value which can be affected by the quality of the environment and coastline. The negative economic impact of degraded public estuarine and marine natural resources on the California ocean economy can be substantial.
The current deficiency of regulation for sewage and sewage sludge discharges from cruise ships and large ocean-going vessels and the possibility of mismanagement of these waste streams could result in serious damage to the documented marine resources and economy of California. The State of California hosts over 2,000 ocean-going vessels with close to 11,000 port calls every year. Nearly 1.5 million passengers departed on cruise ships in California’s waters in 2008 and these numbers and the size of ships continue to grow, presenting an ongoing threat from the harmful pollution being discharged from these cruise ships.
California took steps in 2005 to stem this tide of pollution by enacting the Clean Coast Act which prohibits the discharge of numerous waste streams from large ships in California’s waters including sewage, sewage sludge, graywater, hazardous waste, and oily bilge water. A typical large cruise ship, the largest of which can now carry between 3,000 and 7,000 passengers and crew, on a one week voyage is estimated to generate an average of 210,000 gallons (or 6 large swimming pools) of human sewage and 1 million gallons (33 more swimming pools) of graywater (water from sinks, baths, showers, laundry, and galleys).
While California was able to implement the other bans, in 2006, California determined that it needed to apply to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for authority to implement the sewage dumping ban (known as a “No Discharge Zone”). The state submitted a 96-page application demonstrating the environmental importance and sensitivity of California’s coastal waters. Several years have passed but the EPA has failed to grant California’s request. As a result, members of California’s Congressional delegation sent a letter to Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. EPA, urging the EPA to allow California to protect its waters and the public from harmful sewage and pollution discharges from large ships. Friends of the Earth thanks these Members of Congress for taking action and standing up for the people and coast of California.
Read the letter from Members of Congress from California to U.S. EPA
Read the letter from Friends of the Earth to U.S. EPA
Read the letter from the California EPA to U.S. EPA
Learn more about California’s application to U.S. EPA for a No Discharge Zone
