Document ID: EPA-R09-OW-2010-0438-0018
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2010-09-03T04:00Z

California No Discharge Zone Proposed Rule Fact Sheet 
August 25, 2010 Press Event

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld will sign a proposed rule to establish a No Discharge Zone under the Clean Water Act for vessel sewage in California marine waters.  EPA developed the rule in response to a request from the California Water Resources Control Board (pursuant to a provision in the State's Clean Coast Act of 2005).  The rule will prohibit both treated and untreated sewage discharges in State marine waters from all cruise ships, and from large oceangoing ships with adequate sewage holding capacity (defined in the rule as two days storage capacity).  The rule will be the first application of the Clean Water Act to prohibit vessel sewage discharges for an entire State's marine waters under CWA Section 312 (f)(4)(A) and for a specific class of vessels.  
Sewage contains pathogens, nutrients and other contaminants that can result in negative human health, environmental, and economic impacts.  Of the 434 California beaches monitored in 2009, 40% experienced advisories for exceeding water quality standards for pathogens. Advisories were issued for all 50 Los Angeles County beaches, over 85% of San Francisco beaches, and 75% of San Diego beaches.  Although significant ocean water quality improvements have been made due to regulation of land-based municipal sewage discharges and stormwater runoff, vessel sewage has not received the same level of attention until now.  Prohibiting large vessel sewage discharges will provide additional protection and improvement of California's marine water quality vital to supporting unique ecological environments, commercial and economic interests, and human health.  Economic impacts to the cruise and shipping industry will be minimal while providing important water quality benefits to California's marine resources.
The rule will apply along California's 1624 mile coastline within 3 miles of shore, including major islands and tidally influenced bays estuaries and rivers.  For example, in addition to the State's ocean coastline, the rule will apply to San Francisco Bay, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, San Pedro Bay, San Diego Bay, Santa Cruz Harbor, and Humboldt Bay.  The rule will prohibit the discharge of approximately 20.4 million (80%) gallons of treated vessel sewage currently allowed in State marine waters each year.  Twenty million gallons per year would fill a line of tanker trucks 29 miles long. 
The bulk of the vessel sewage not covered by this proposed rule is generated by recreational vessels that are required to continue using available harbor pumpout stations throughout the State. Other vessels not coved by the rule (e.g., smaller fishing boats) are currently required to treat sewage before discharging with approved marine sanitation devices.  Instead of discharging close to sensitive beaches and near-coastal habitat areas, the rule authorizes discharges  only in much deeper ocean waters beyond the 3 mile limit while ships are moving at higher speeds, thereby increasing sewage mixing and dilution.   

Proposed California No Discharge Zone Treated Vessel Sewage Prohibition
Vessel Sewage Generated in California Marine Waters that Can Now Be Discharged (EPA estimate)
Vessel Sewage Prohibited from Discharge in California NDZ
                         25.4 million gallons per year
                      20.4 million gallons per year (80%)

The rule is consistent with the current Clean Water Act ban on vessel discharges of untreated sewage in State waters and will provide added water quality protection from pollutants EPA has found in treated vessel sewage.  The rule will also compliment the recent ban on treated and untreated vessel sewage discharges in California's four National Marine Sanctuaries (Gulf of the Farallones, Cordell Bank, Monterey Bay, and Channel Islands).  The rule supplements existing, small no discharge zones in place for all vessels.  

Status of Treated Sewage Protection in California Marine Waters 
Area Currently Protected
Area Proposed for Protection 
                          1,755 square miles (33.5%)
                           5,222 square miles (100%)

California's ports and ocean waters receive hundreds of cruise ship visits and thousands of large cargo ship calls each year.  California is home to three of America's largest ports -- Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland, and three of the country's largest cruise ship ports -- Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Diego.  Other significant ports that handle large ships subject to the regulation include San Francisco, Stockton, West Sacramento, Port Hueneme, San Francisco, and Humboldt Bay.  The environmental benefits of the proposed rule will vary based on vessel traffic in different regions of the State.  In 2009 the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together served approximately 1.2 million cruise ship passengers and received approximately 10,000 cargo ship calls.  San Diego and San Francisco served around 800,000 and 150,000 cruise ship passengers respectively. The Port of Oakland received nearly 2,000 cargo vessel visits while the Port of Stockton handled 115 ship calls.

Numbers to call for sewage or other vessel spill violations:
      Coast Guard:
      San Francisco Area: 415-399-3547
      Los Angeles/Long Beach Area: 310-521-3805
      San Diego Area: 619-278-7033

      Federal National Response Center: 800-424-8802

      State of California:  800-852-7550
      State Water Resources Control Board (to report spills from large ships):  916-341-5505  

For Further Information:
Paul Amato  415-972-3847
David Smith 415-972-3464