A Panama-flagged boxship and the Philippines-flagged bulk carrier have been fined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over inspection, monitoring, and reporting violations in California…
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/msc-aurora-western-durban-fined-in-the-usa/
The VGP is a USA Clean Water Act, NPDES permit that authorizes discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels greater than 79 feet in length. The 2013 Vessel General Permit that replaced the 2008 Vessel General Permit, has incorporated a new requirements for a submission of an electronically annual report by February 28th covering activities conducted from January 1st, till December 31, of previous year.
The existing VGP 2013, was planned to be replaced on March 2019. However due to...
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amended its diesel fuel regulations to allow fuel suppliers to distribute distillate diesel fuel that complies with the sulphur standard on Dec 18, 2019, reports Safety4sea.
The regulations apply internationally for ships instead of the fuel standards that otherwise apply to distillate diesel fuel in the US.
Flexibility in distillate regulationsThe rule removes the restriction on the distribution of distillate fuel between 1,000 ppm and 5,000 ppm in...
http://mfame.guru/us-epa-revises-diesel-fuel-regulations-in-accord-with-sulphur-standards/
On Wednesday, 18 December 2019, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amended its diesel fuel regulations aiming to allow fuel suppliers distribute distillate diesel fuel that complies with the Sulphur standard that applies internationally for ships instead of the fuel standards that otherwise apply to distillate diesel fuel in the US.
The rule removes the restriction on the distribution of distillate fuel between 1,000 ppm and 5,000 ppm for use outside of US Emission Control Area (ECA)...
https://safety4sea.com/us-epa-amended-rule-to-allow-sale-of-0-5-sulphur-marine-fuel/
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the Port of Baltimore $1.8 million in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funds to replace older diesel-powered equipment with newer, cleaner versions.
The grant will cover about 44 dray trucks, commonly used for transporting shipping containers to and from the Port, and four pieces of cargo-handling equipment such as forklifts, yard tractors and other heavy cargo machinery.
It is estimated that the replacement equipment acquired for the...
https://safety4sea.com/port-of-baltimore-secures-1-8-million-grant-for-emissions-reduction/
The proposed relief is in the form of additional lead time for qualifying engines and vessels. The proposal also contains waiver provisions to enable the continued installation of Tier 3 engines for certain ships if suitable Tier 4 engines continue to be...
https://safety4sea.com/us-epa-considers-amendments-for-marine-diesel-engine-emission-standards/
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) withdrew its proposal for restrictions that would have protected Bristol Bay, Alaska from the Pebble Mine, a gold and copper mine proposed at the headwaters of Bristol Bay’s famous salmon runs.
EPA had called for the restrictions in 2014, after finding that a large-scale mine like the proposed Pebble Mine would have ‘unacceptable adverse effects’ on the water, fisheries and wildlife of Bristol Bay.
In scrapping the proposed determination, EPA said that:
https://safety4sea.com/epa-to-bring-back-permitting-process-for-bristol-bay-copper-mine/
Effective from June 30, 2019, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will stop accepting Fuel Oil Non-Availability Reports (FONARs). Failure to make the notifications required by MARPOL Annex VI, 18.2.4 may result in a vessel control (e.g., detention) and/or enforcement action.
Namely, owners and operators of vessels operating in the North American or US Caribbean Sea Emission Control Area (ECA) that are unable to acquire sufficient MARPOL Annex VI compliant fuel oil at a foreign or US...
After attending the VIDA webinar the EPA and the USCG co-arranged, Mouawad Consulting has summarised the latest information. Some of the highlights of the discussion regard the fact that the new regulation is not expected to be enforced before December 2022, and that standards are likely to be technology-based and not risk-based.
What is the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA)?
As Mouawad Consulting reports, Vessel Incident Discharge Act (VIDA) is a new law enacted on December 4, 2018 that...
https://safety4sea.com/updates-an-implications-of-vessel-incidental-discharge-act/
On March 12, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced enforcement actions involving $530,199 in fines and more than 10,000 engines and vehicles imported into the US. These actions are the result of joint operations between EPA and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, to identify foreign-made engines and vehicles that do not have proper emission controls.
Namely, EPA found companies imported engines and vehicles without certification...
https://safety4sea.com/us-fines-companies-for-illegal-imports/