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newsrel -- World's strictest regulation curbing emissions from ocean-going vessels

Posted: 10 Jun 2008 13:35:51
Please consider the following Air Resources Board press release
announcing availability of the draft regulation curbing
emissions from ocean going vessels.  You can review the release
here: http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr061008.htm .
Thank You
Dimitri Stanich
ARB/PIO 

Release 08-53
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2008
	  	  	
Dimitri Stanich
(916) 322-2990
www.arb.ca.gov

Air Board proposes world's strictest regulation curbing
emissions from ocean-going vessels

If passed, rule would prevent thousands of premature deaths
annually

SACRAMENTO: The California Air Resources Board has released a
proposed regulation that would require ocean-going vessels
within 24 nautical miles off California's coastline to use
cleaner fuel in their main and auxiliary engines, and boilers.

The measure to be considered by the Air Resources Board at its
July 26 and 27 meeting would annually affect about 2,000
ocean-going vessels visiting California. The vessels would be
required to use lower-sulfur marine distillates rather than the
highly polluting heavy-fuel oil often called bunker fuel.

"The gains made by this regulation will save lives all along the
coast and provide significant health benefits for those living
near heavily used California seaports." explained ARB Deputy
Director, Michael Scheible. "We're requiring very large
reductions that will greatly lessen air pollution from ships."

The proposed regulation requiring ships to use more refined fuel
with lower sulfur content would be implemented in two steps -
first in 2009 and final in 2012 - and would be the most
stringent and comprehensive requirement for marine fuel-use in
the world. Both U.S.-flagged and foreign-flagged vessels would
be to subject to the statewide regulation.

The draft regulation would reduce emissions of toxic particulate
matter from the vessels' diesel engines by 15 tons per day, an 80
percent reduction of the uncontrolled emissions now. Emissions of
oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, major contributors to California's
air pollution problems, would also be reduced by 90 and six
percent, respectively.

The proposed regulation would have large health benefits for
Californians. An estimated 2,000 premature deaths between 2009
and 2015 would be avoided, and the cancer risk caused by
emissions from these vessels would be reduced by over 80
percent. In addition, the emission reductions would aid the
South Coast Air Quality Management District meet federal clean
air requirements for fine particulate matter by 2014. The
regulation is also needed for ARB to achieve its targeted 85
percent reduction of diesel PM by 2020.

Diesel exhaust contains a variety of harmful gases and over 40
other known cancer-causing substances. Currently, diesel PM
emissions from ocean-going vessels expose over seven million
people in California to high cancer risk levels - in excess of
100 in a million for lifetime exposures.

To reach its goal of reducing diesel PM throughout California,
over the past eight years ARB has adopted regulations affecting
cargo-handling equipment, transport refrigeration units, truck
idling, off-road equipment, harbor craft, port drayage trucks,
onboard incineration, and ships at-berth. ARB's cleaner fuel
requirements for railroad and ship engines have reduced
pollution around rail yards and ports. And this fall ARB will
consider measures to reduce emissions from heavy duty diesel
trucks.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and
protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and
considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain
health based air quality standards.



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