EPA Proposal to Cut Air Pollution from Big Ships Will Save Lives, Protect Public Health

Contact: Elena Craft, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3452-w or 512.632.4946-c

Media Contact: Chris Smith, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3451-w or 512.659.9264-c or csmith@edf.org

(Washington, D.C. – July 1, 2009)  Today, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed rigorous clean air standards for large U.S.-flagged ships. The proposal would cut pollution from U.S.-flagged tankers, container ships and other large vessels that are big emitters.

Environmental Defense Fund welcomes this proposal, which demonstrates pivotal leadership in addressing shipping emissions as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) considers the U.S. application for a protective Emission Control Area that would slash pollution from both U.S. and foreign-flagged ships. The IMO meets July 13-17 in London, where it will begin evaluating the U.S. application for protective clean air standards.

“Ships are floating smokestacks that deliver soot and smog straight to the heart of our most crowded coastal cities, home to 87 million Americans, so we are very pleased with this most recent action,” said Elena Craft, EDF Air Quality Specialist. “Here in Houston for example, we urgently need improved clean air standards to protect the kids and families hard hit by pollution delivered by more than 8,000 vessels visiting our port every year.” 

In March, the United States applied to designate U.S. coastal waters as “Emission Control Areas” (ECAs) under international law. An ECA would provide the strongest clean air standards available under international law. It would dramatically improve clean air standards for all ocean-going ships in the exclusive economic zone of the U.S., an area that typically extends about 200 nautical miles from the coast. 

The container ships, tankers and other large sea-going vessels that dock at more than 100 U.S. port cities burn low grade “residual fuel” or “bunker fuel” that is a major source of air pollution. EPA analysis indicates that protective clean air standards that apply to all ships operating within the exclusive economic zone of the U.S. would annually save as many as 14,000 lives, prevent 4,800 hospital admissions, and prevent 4.9 million acute respiratory symptoms. Government officials estimate that foreign-flagged vessels make up 90 percent of the ship calls on U.S. ports.  

Today’s proposal bolsters the ECA application by proposing to apply clean air standards to U.S. flagged ships under the federal Clean Air Act.   

EDF strongly supports the well-documented ECA application submitted by the U.S. to the International Maritime Organization. EDF calls for EPA to consider expanding today’s complementary rulemaking proposal carried out under the Clean Air Act. The proposal should evaluate clean air standards that apply to both foreign- and U.S.-flagged ships operating in the exclusive economic zone of the U.S., as a backup plan to protect human health.  

Ocean-going ships are also responsible for about 3 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas pollution.