The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced plans to help protect coastal areas from harmful ship emissions.  It 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 ships.

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.  The rules will begin to take effect in 2015.

You can learn more about this proposal by visiting the EPA web feature at: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/oceanvessels.htm

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator