SECTION HB260 HB 22 HB 183
       
Findings Uncodified law. None. Uncodified law. Explains purpose of bill.
Permits None. None. Requires a yearly permit issued by DEC allowing operations in state waters.  Standard permits or special permits issued depending on testing methods of pollutants or if the operator cannot practicably comply with the new statutes.
Registration Requirements Each calendar year, no later than 72 hours after a call upon a port in state.  Vessel's owner's business name, addresses, agent's name and address, name or call sign of and port of registry for each of the owner's vessels. Registers with DEC.  Not applicable to government ships. Same as HB260. New DEC bureaucracy issues either standard or special operating permits
Prohibited Discharges No untreated sewage into any state waters.  In HB260, Graywater and Treated sewage must meet STATE & EPA effluent standards to be discharged into state waters. Until Fed effluent standards are adopted, fecal coliform bacterial count no >200 per 100 milliliters or suspended solids >150 milligrams per liter.  If EPA has not est stds by 03, or EPA stds are <than the 200/150 sewage std, then 200/150 std will also apply to graywater. Original bill required measurement of stack emissions & graywater discharges… stack emissions taken out in TRA Comm,
No State Standards in original bill
200/150 Standards now = HB260… added them in TRAComm CS.
FC/TSS added in TRA Comm.
No specific standards.
Graywater Standards Graywater standards must be met by 2003. Same as HB260 No specific standards.
Discharge of Treated Sewage of Graywater No discharge unless the vessel is underway  and traveling at 6 knots or greater, not less than one nautical mile from the nearest shore, the discharge complies with all applicable vessel effluent standards established under federal legislation and other applicable law and is not in an area where the discharge of treated sewage or graywater is prohibited.  Incorporates federal exceptions for new generation of treatment systems. No discharge unless the vessel is underway  and traveling at 6 knots or greater, not less than one nautical mile from the nearest shore, the discharge complies with all applicable vessel effluent standards established under federal legislation and other applicable law and is not in an area where the discharge of treated sewage or graywater is prohibited.  Incorporates federal exceptions for new generation of treatment systems. No specific standards.
Air Quality None… DEC/EPA already regulate Air Discharges… Fees fund opacity studies Original bill Included air quality emissions but no specific standards.. Now removed Includes air quality emissions but no specific standards or new standards
Monitoring and environmental studies 1. Requires DEC report by 2004 on impact of cruise ship discharges of sewage and graywater on the environment.  

2. Dept may establish a program to recognize superior  environmental protection efforts that exceed requirements of law
Requires DEC report by 2004 on impact of cruise ship discharges of sewage and graywater on the environment. DEC may engage in direct monitoring of discharges or releases of pollutants, study or monitor direct or indirect environmental impacts or research ways to reduce impacts which are identified.  DEC may also engage in efforts to encourage and recognize superior environmental performance.
Safety Exception Not applicable to any discharge made for securing the safety of the vessel or saving life at sea. Same as HB260 None.
Information Gathering Requirements Operator will maintain and, upon departmental request, produce a logbook detailing times, volumes of flow rates and location of discharges of sewage or graywater.  Samples of treated sewage and graywater will be collected with a sampling technique approved by DEC, at least twice from May through September of each year.  Samples will be collected in two different months, at least 15 days apart.   For vessels in for less than 15 days, samples will be collected on the first and last day of operation in state waters.  Sampling done in compliance with substantially similar state or federal laws will be considered in compliance as long as the information is shared with DEC. HB22 & HB260 test for fecal coliform, ammonia, residual chlorine, pH, suspended solids and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

Similar language to HB260 for federal reporting requirements to be submitted to DEC.

Requires records/reporting on all offloading or release of pollutants, whether in US or Canada
To be developed by DEC in regulations.
Record Keeping Requirements Information will be recorded by the owner or operator and be maintained for three years after the date the information is gathered. Same as HB260. To be developed by DEC in regulations.
Reporting Requirements Discharge in violation of state statute will be reported immediately to DEC.  Samples required by EPA or federal agency shall submit a copy of those records to DEC within 21 days. Records are to include sampling technique and analytical testing methods used. Similar to HB260. Also requires reporting of dockside offloading of pollutants and in the original version had stack emissions as well.  Stack emissions removed at TRAComm hearing. To be developed by DEC in regulations.
Fees. Separate fee for each voyage.
Ranges from $75 for 50 psgr ship to  $3,750 for 3,500 or more passengers. 
Fee is due to DEC in the manner and times required by regulation. 
Sunset for fees 1/1 2004
None. Same as HB260.
No sunset.
Penalties Corresponds with existing statute.
Liable, civil action, not <$500 or >$100K for initial violation, nor >$10K/day if violation continues  (page 12, line 12)
Perpetrator is guilty of class A misdemeanor
Administrative penalty of not more than $50 per day for each day of noncompliance.  Owner or operator who fails to comply may not bring a claim or counterclaim to court for a cause of action during the period of out of compliance. similar to HB260
Commercial Passenger Vessel Coastal Protection Program No permitting program No Permitting Program established under AS 46.50.010... monitors, supervises thru issuing Standard & Special permits
Commercial Passenger Vessel Coastal Protection Fund Created in the general fund 46.03.482 and consists of fee payments, fines, legislative appropriations, fund earnings.  Funds appropriated to the CPVCPF do not lapse and remain available for expenditure in successive fiscal years  (pg 7, line 27-  ) None. Same as HB260
Covered Vessels All passenger ships that have overnight accommodations for at least 50 passengers. All non-government passenger ships that are authorized to carry 500 passengers or more. All non-government passenger ships that have overnight accommodations for at least 50 passengers.
Geographic Coverage All areas within 3 miles of shore plus the entire Alexander Archipelago (whether or not within 3 miles of shore). Incorporates existing definition.  AS 46.03.900(36) Incorporates existing definition.  AS 46.03.900(36)
Exemptions Not applicable to vessels operating in "innocent passage" under federal law or U.N. convention on laws of the sea.
Annual exemptions for ships under 200 psgrs for extenuating circumstances… no exemptions for testing/reporting
DEC may adopt regs necessary for implementation of exemptions
(page 8, line 15)
Innocent Passage exemption allowed
Exemptions thru issuing Special Permits for extenuating circumstances
Innocent Passage exemption allowed
Regulations DEC may adopt regulations necessary for implementation of these statutes. Same as HB260 Same as HB260. Allows for negotiated regulation making.
Definitions Applies to all terminology within proposed legislation. Applies to all terminology within proposed legislation. Applies to all terminology within proposed legislation.
Statutory Changes. Section 3.  Amends AS37.05.146(b)(4) to recognize coastal protection fees
Amends AS 46.03.760(e),Civil action for pollution; damages.  Applies proposed changes in proposed statutes. 
Section 4.  Amends AS 46.03.760(e), Criminal penalties.  Incorporates new statutes as proposed. 
Section 5.  Amends AS 46.03.790(a) by incorporating new statutes as proposed.  Section 8.  Applicability of Reporting Requirements.  Amends Uncodified law by adding a new section.
Section 9.  Transition: Initial Implementation of Fees.  Amends Uncodified law by adding new section.
Section 10.  Delayed Applicability to Smaller Vessels.  Amends Uncodified law by adding new section.
Section 11.  Assessment Report-By January 15, 2004, DEC submits to the governor a report based on information gathered for the 2001, 2002, and 2003 cruise ship seasons.  Amends uncodified law by adding new section.
Section 12.  Instruction to Revisor.  Amends uncodified law by adding new section
Section 2. Amends AS 46.03.760(e), Civil penalties.  Adds new statutes as proposed in legislation. 
Section 3.
  Amends uncodified law by adding a new section: Applicability of reporting requirements. 
Section 4.  Assessment Report. Similar to HB260. 
Section 3.  Adds Alaska Commercial Passenger Vessel Protection program to AS 37.05.146(b)(4), Program Receipts.  Section 4.  Amends AS 46.03.760(e), Civil penalties.  Adds new statutes as proposed in legislation. 
Section 5.  Amends AS 46.03.790(a), Criminal penalties.  Incorporates new statutes as proposed.  
Section 6.
  Initial Applicability and Implementation. 
Section 7.  Amends uncodified law for Transition: Regulations.  Allows DEC to immediately adopt regulations necessary to implement the proposed legislation.  Section 8.  Immediate effective date for Section 7.
Effective Date July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 July 1, 2001

###

Attachments:

| Rep. Mulder's Page | Rep. Williams's Page |
| House Finance Committee Page |

| Top | Home | Site Search | Breaking News | Legislators | Bills |
| Committees | E-Newsletter | Surveys | Research | Help |


The Official Web Site of the House and Senate Legislative Majorities
for the 22nd Alaska State Legislature

To Report Technical Problems or Contact Webmasterse-mail address list