[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 31, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S6105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CLEAN CRUISE SHIP ACT OF 2013

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, last week, I introduced the Clean Cruise 
Ship Act to limit the dumping of wastewater by cruise ships.
  Cruise ships generate millions of gallons of wastewater every day, 
and currently these ships can dump their waste directly into the oceans 
with minimal oversight.
  The Clean Cruise Ship Act would require these ships to obtain permits 
through EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System to be 
able 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 some cruise 
ships.
  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, cruise lines carried over 10 million passengers in 
2011, with some ships carrying 8,000 passengers or more.
  These ships produce massive amounts of waste: one ship can produce 
over 200,000 gallons, or 10 backyard swimming pools, 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 many beautiful places.
  In fact, it is because these ships sail often into these beautiful, 
sensitive environments that we need to be particularly careful of the 
pollution they release into those waters.
  Here is the unpleasant reality. Within 3 miles of shore, vessels can 
discharge wastewater from toilets and showers into the ocean provided 
that a ``marine sanitation device'' is installed.
  However, a 2008 report released by the Environmental Protection 
Agency concluded that these systems simply do not work.
  The devices allow ships to discharge waste that consistently exceeds 
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.
  While cruise ships must obtain permits to discharge graywater within 
3 miles of the coast, graywater should not go directly into the sea.
  Graywater from sinks, tubs, and kitchens contain large amounts of 
pathogens and pollutants.
  Fecal coliform concentrations, for example, are 10 to 1,000 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.
  Even worse, beyond 3 miles from shore there are no restrictions on 
sewage or graywater discharge. Cruise ships can actually dump raw 
sewage directly into U.S. waters.
  The Clean Cruise Ship Act seeks to address these practices.
  No discharges would be allowed within 12 miles of shore.
  Beyond 12 miles from shore, 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.
  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 support the life of nearly 50 percent of all 
species on Earth.
  Some cruise ship companies already are trying to improve their 
environmental footprint. They also want to preserve the environment--it 
is the natural beauty of the sea 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. The approach taken in the Clean 
Cruise Ship Act will move us toward 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.

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