| Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC May 9, 2002 Protocol Regulating Air Pollution from ShipsThe Department of State, in consultation with other federal agencies, is preparing appropriate documents for submission to the President of a treaty known as MARPOL Annex VI, for transmittal to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent to ratification. Following transmittal of Annex VI, the Administration would work with Congress on new legislation to implement the Annex. More formally titled the Protocol of 1997 to amend the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, Annex VI addresses air pollution from ships. Upon entry into force, Annex VI would establish an international framework addressing air pollution from ships that helps achieve U.S. air quality goals by: -- reducing the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from certain large new marine diesel engines up to 30 percent from 1990 levels, and providing a vehicle for further internationally agreed NOx reductions through a rapid amendment procedure; -- establishing a global cap of 4.5 percent on the sulfur oxides (SOx) content of marine fuels, and providing a mechanism for reducing the sulfur content to 1.5 percent in areas where SOx reductions would be beneficial; and -- prohibiting deliberate emission of ozone-depleting substances including halons and chlorofluocarbons and volatile organic substances from ships. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for setting U.S. standards for air emissions from large marine engines under the Clean Air Act. The EPA on April 30, 2002, signed a proposed rule that would implement U.S. nitrogen oxides standards based on those in Annex VI. After receiving public comment, these proposed standards would take effect in 2004. The preamble to EPA’s proposed rule explains that the U.S. Administration, while moving forward with ratification, at the same time supports strengthening the Annex VI standards for nitrogen oxides emissions, taking into account the emission reduction potential of control technologies developed since 1997. The United States has already asked a committee of the International Maritime Organization to review the nitrogen oxides standards, a process that will begin in July 2003. United States ratification of Annex VI would continue U.S. leadership in promoting environmentally responsible international emission standards at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and would underscore IMO’s role in protecting the world’s marine environment from pollution. |
 | |||
|
