Bill would regulate discharge of wastewater from cruise ships

By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer

A bill that could put the enforcement behind environmental health guidelines for the cruise industry is moving through the Legislature.

Two House committees on Monday advanced a bill to regulate cruise ship discharges.

The legislation would regulate discharge of sewage and other wastewater; require cruise ship owners and operators to collect and test samples, maintain records and report discharges; require state monitoring of the program; and impose a compliance fee.

The action by the committees on economic development and business concerns, and energy and environmental protection, follows last year's establishment of a memorandum of understanding between the cruise industry, represented by the North West CruiseShip Association and the state, and signed by then-Gov. Ben Cayetano.

The Sierra Club's Hawai'i chapter and others said the memorandum of understanding was a step in the right direction, but the state needs laws similar to Alaska's to put teeth into guidelines laid out in the agreement. Florida also has a memorandum of understanding with the cruise industry.

"Enforcement is key to any cruise-ship regulation," said Cha Smith, executive director of Kahea, The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance.

Charles Toguchi, a Hawai'i representative of the North West CruiseShip Association, said the environmental regulations outlined in the bill did not reach as far as the guidelines in the memorandum of understanding.

"What the MOU does, it goes beyond that," Toguchi said. "We are committed to implementing the MOU. As far as we are concerned, it is a binding document."

Reach Kelly Yamanouchi at 535-2470, or at kyamanouchi@honoluluadvertiser.com.