Senator Barbara Boxer's office as well as Senator Feinstein and Speaker Pelosi have been working behind the scenes to get the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to crack down on oil tankers and large container ships that contribute a lot of pollution through their engine emissions. The Senator's efforts, combined with the new reality that now, finally, the EPA is again "people friendly" (thanks to the election of Barack Obama), have resulted in an announcement from the EPA that it plans to enact stiff regulations to protect coastal areas from harmful ship pollution and emissions.
The EPA intends to create an emissions control area (ECA) around the nation’s coastline. Within this area, stricter emissions standards would be applied to oil tankers and other large container ships.
Senator Boxer's statement adds, "According to EPA data, the creation of an ECA with new standards would save up to 8,300 lives every year by 2020 by reducing harmful emissions. We have known for a long time that our families that live around ports have a higher rate of respiratory illness, including cancer."
EPA’s announcement means the United States is stepping forward to take a strong leadership role on clean air around ports. Under the program, large ships that operate within ECAs will face stricter emissions standards designed to reduce the threat they pose to human health and the environment. These standards will cut sulfur in fuel by 98 percent, particulate matter emissions by 85 percent, and nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 percent from the current global requirements.
Resources:
Senator Barbara Boxer
Ship Pollution - Wikipedia
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