Alaska Lawmakers Push Cleaner Cruise Ship Fuels

0:00On this March 2nd in Anchorage, here's what is making headlines. Two Alaska lawmakers have introduced bills to tackle water pollution from cruise ships in state waters. Senator Jesse Keel and Representative Sarah Hannan, both Democrats from Juno, want ships to switch to cleaner fuels with lower sulfur levels. Their goal is to stop the use of heavy fuel oil, a cheap but dirty byproduct of oil refining that harms the ocean. Heavy fuel oil leads to pollution because ships often use scrubbers to clean exhaust gases. These systems capture contaminants but then dump the toxic wash water directly into the sea. Studies show this stuff can hurt marine life, from tiny algae to sea urchin eggs and muscle larvae. The bills differ a bit but aim for the same result. Hannan's outright bans heavy petroleum fuel oil while Keel sets strict sulfur limits. Both allow exceptions for ships just passing through Alaska waters without stopping at ports. Keel's also okay with closed-loop scrubbers that keep waste on

1:02board for land disposal. Lawmakers argue cleaner fuels are already a global trend and Alaska should follow suit to protect its waters. Keel says if ships can avoid dumping pollutants entirely, that's fine but otherwise skip the dirty fuel. The cruise industry pushes back hard, claiming scrubbers work well and meet current rules. They call the bills rushed without enough science. Keel's measure heads to the Senate Resources Committee soon while Hannan's goes to house panels on transportation and finance. A message from our sponsor supports today's Your pillow just got smarter. It plays your podcast and music. S-O-L-L-I-S-O-L-L-Pillow.com