EPA Gets Serious About Pollution from Large Ships
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has raised the standard for large U.S.- flagged ships with harmful marine diesel emissions. The new regulation will bring the U.S. into accord with international standards and result in susbtantial air-quality improvements for the nation.
“There are enormous health and environmental consequences that come from marine diesel emissions, affecting both port cities and communities hundreds of miles inland. Stronger standards will help make large ships cleaner and more efficient, and protect millions of Americans from harmful diesel emissions,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Port communities have identified diesel emissions as one of the greatest health threats facing their people.”
Air pollution from large ships, such as oil tankers and cargo ships, is expected to grow rapidly as port traffic increases. By 2030, the new standard will reduce NOX emissions from ships by an estimated 80 percent, and PM emissions by 85 percent, compared to current emissions. This will prevent between 12,000 and 31,000 premature deaths and 1.4 million work days lost according to EPA estimates.
The estimated annual health benefits in 2030 as a result of reduced air pollution are valued between $110 and $270 billion, which is up to nearly 90 times the projected cost of $3.1 billion to achieve those results. This rule, under the Clean Air Act, complements a key piece of EPA’s strategy to designate an emissions control area (ECA) for thousands of miles of U.S. and Canadian coasts. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency, is set to vote in March 2010 on the adoption of the joint U.S.-Canada ECA, which would result in stringent standards for large foreign-flagged and domestic ships operating within the designated area.