Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) applauds the historic request by the U.S. government to protect millions of Americans from deadly global shipping pollution generated by large ocean-going ships. During a noon news conference today at Port Newark, New Jersey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced that the U.S. government applied to designate U.S. coastal waters as "Emission Control Areas" under international law.
An Emission Control Area, or ECA, would provide the strongest clean air standards available under international law. It would dramatically improve fuel quality and reduce smog-forming oxides of nitrogen for all ocean-going ships in the exclusive economic zone of the United States, an area that typically extends about 200 nautical miles from the coast. In 2002, ocean-going ships were responsible for about 7,300 tons of smog-forming oxides of nitrogen (NOx) pollution at the New York/New Jersey ports, comparable to the NOx emissions from 7.8 million of today's cars.
"Ships are floating smokestacks that deliver soot and smog straight to the heart of our most crowded coastal cities, home to 87 million Americans," said Andy Darrell, vice president of Living Cities at EDF, who attended today's announcement. "With emissions control areas, these tens of millions of Americans will see ship pollution drop by as much as 96 percent by 2015."
Earlier today, EDF released a new report showing that 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. More than 87 million Americans live in ports and coastal communities that fail to meet basic federal health standards for ground-level ozone and particulate pollution, according to EDF's report, "Protecting American Health from Global Shipping Pollution: Establishing An Emission Control Area in U.S. Waters". The residual fuel contains sulfur levels 1,800 times greater than U.S. law allows for other diesel engines.
EPA estimates that in 2001, ocean-going ships in the U.S. emitted:
* as much oxides of nitrogen (NOx, a key ingredient of ozone smog) as put out by 94 coal-fired power plants (an estimated 745,000 tons).
* as much particulate pollution (sometimes called soot) as is emitted from 117 coal-fired power plants (more than 54,000 tons).
* 40 percent of all mobile source sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions.
A recent study by two leading researchers on shipping pollution, Corbett and Winebrake, shows shipping-related particulate matter emissions contribute to approximately 60,000 global deaths annually, with impacts concentrated in coastal regions on major trade routes.
The United States submitted its application -- asking for the most rigorous clean air standards authorized under international law to apply to ocean-going ships calling on U.S. ports -- to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and will make its case at the July 2009 meeting of the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee. Government officials estimate that foreign-flagged vessels make up 90 percent of the ship calls on U.S. ports.
The EPA estimates that some 87 million Americans live in port areas that do not meet basic federal public health standards for ground-level ozone and particulate pollution. Fortunately, a pivotal opportunity is on deck to achieve significant reductions in the pollution from ocean-going ships. With U.S. leadership in requesting the establishment of an Emission Control Area, and IMO approval, the nation will be sailing more smoothly towards healthier air.
