SECA Program - Background

This page last reviewed April 22, 2010

Welcome to the SOX Emission Control Area (SECA) homepage. Early in 2005, the U.S. EPA, Environment Canada, and the Instituto Nacional de Ecología began developing the technical information for a potential SECA application to the International Maritime Organization. Their overall goal is to quantify the health and welfare impacts of commercial marine vessels (CMV), using consistent methods.

The CARB is the lead agency for the West Coast and is the primary point of contact to U.S. EPA for Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington. Previous SECA applications in the Baltic and North Seas focused on acid rain and other welfare impacts and the East Coast of North America is likely to have similar claims. However, the West Coast partners expect to make a stronger case for the need to reduce diesel sulfur to mitigate particulate matter (PM) health impacts. Because of expected uncertainties in modeling of offshore transport and transformation of CMV emissions, CARB, in conjunction with its partners, funded and is performing complementary modeling and observation-based approaches. This webpage provides access to documents and other information related to SECA activities.

For more information about SECA activities, please contact Dongmin Luo Ph.D., P.E. of the Air Resources Board Research Division at (916) 324-8496