A lawsuit was filed this week that alleges the EPA has missed its deadline to set emissions standards for cargo ship engines and the resulting exhaust. Apparently, the EPA set regulations for smaller harbor craft (tugboats and miscellaneous cargo-handling equipment) three years ago and made a pledge to issue large carrier regulation by April. Oakland-based Earthjustice, a nonprofit law firm representing environmental advocacy groups, filed the suit on behalf of Friends of the Earth on Wednesday. "What's at stake here is the lives of thousands of people around the country who will continue to inhale diesel exhaust from large ships," said Teri Shore, clean vessel campaign director at Friends of the Earth in San Francisco. Last month, the Port of Oakland released an emissions inventory showing 80% of diesel particulates (soot) came from large container ships. Very large ships operate on bunker fuel, particularly noxious, but particularly cheap, which makes it attractive to ship operators. The other emissions are a result of big rigs, and smaller harbor crafts. The EPA said it has been working on an agreement with the International Maritime Organization to establish worldwide maritime emissions standards. The EPA has not set a date for enforcing the proposed rules, and Friends of the Earth has countered that U.S standards should be much higher than what the rest of the world would agree upon. Should the EPA attempt to solidify worldwide standards, or start enforcing some regulations domestically first? Let me know what you think. By Cassandra Darwin
cdarwin@enviance.com | 
