The Campaign to Safeguard America’s Waters, a project of Earth
Island Institute, and Friends of the Earth took steps today to
rein in the continued dumping of pollution from cruise ships
into Alaskan waters. The groups, represented by Earthjustice,
filed a challenge in state superior court to the Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation’s decision to grant the
permit that authorizes cruise ships to continue dumping
pollutants without meeting the standards required by law. Every
summer about one million visitors come to Alaska on cruise
ships. These boats dump wastewater into Alaskan coastal waters,
leaving partially-treated sewage, heavy metals and chemical
pollutants in their wakes. In 2006, Alaskans voted a ballot
measure into law requiring cruise ships to meet Alaska’s water
quality standards when they discharge this wastewater. The
Alaska Legislature weakened the voter-passed law in 2009, giving
cruise ships operating in Alaskan waters several more years
until they are required to comply with water