Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Vessels, Marinas and Ports

Public Hearing on Cruise Ship Discharges: Los Angeles

The hearing was held in the multipurpose room of the Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro, CA. The hearing consisted of an afternoon and an evening session, which were chaired by the EPA.

Approximately 40 people attended the hearing. The EPA made a brief presentation on the EPA's regulations and programs that involve cruise ships, the reasons for the EPA's cruise ship assessment, and what the EPA hoped to achieve during the hearings. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) made brief comments about a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report on cruise ships, noting that the USCG had taken action on the recommendations to look more closely into graywater and blackwater, and increase the number of overflights. 

Eight members of the public spoke during the hearings, including representatives from environmental organizations, the cruise ship industry and a representative of California Congressman Nakano's office. There were many topics of discussion, including cruise ship practices of legal and illegal discharges and the environmental effects they cause. Suggestions for strengthened regulatory control over cruise ship discharges, included:

  • rethinking the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) exemption
  • regulating sewage beyond 3 nautical miles
  • requiring monitoring and reporting
  • spending more time and money on monitoring and enforcement

Other speakers pointed to cruise ships' current voluntary environmental protection activities and partnership initiatives (with generally binding requirements) with states, USCG and ship classification societies. Lastly, several speakers voiced concern over reports of unexpectedly high fecal coliform counts in graywater and blackwater, and the need for further study.

  • Hearing Transcript (Los Angeles, CA) (pdf) (154.99 KB)
  • Public Hearing Presentation (pdf) (143.21 KB)

Vessels, Marinas and Ports

  • Sewage Discharges
    • Marine Sanitation Devices (MSDs)
    • No-Discharge Zones (NDZs)
  • Commercial Vessel Discharges
  • Recreational Vessel Discharges
  • Military Vessel Discharges
  • Aquatic Nuisance Species
  • Cruise Ship Studies
Contact Us About Vessels, Marinas and Ports
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on March 14, 2025
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.