Prohibited Releases - - CA Public Resources

Section § 72420

This law prohibits the release of sewage sludge or sewage from large passenger vessels or oceangoing ships into state marine waters or marine sanctuaries if certain conditions are met. These conditions include approval of an application by federal agencies, or a determination from the board that an application is unnecessary. If either of these happens, the vessel's owner or operator must ensure no sewage or sewage sludge is discharged into these waters.

(a) If the appropriate federal agencies approve an application made pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 72440, or if the board determines that an application is not required, an owner or operator of a large passenger vessel or oceangoing ship shall not release, or permit anyone to release, any sewage sludge from the vessel into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

(b) If the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency approves the application for sewage release made pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 72440, or if the board determines that an application is not required, an owner or operator of an oceangoing ship with sufficient holding tank capacity shall not release, or permit anyone to release, any sewage from the vessel into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

(c) If the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency approves the application for sewage release made pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 72440, or if the board determines that an application is not required, an owner or operator of a large passenger vessel shall not release, or permit anyone to release, any sewage from the vessel into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

marine waters sewage sludge large passenger vessel oceangoing ship marine sanctuary sewage release restrictions water pollution prevention EPA application approval sewage holding tank owner responsibilities operator obligations federal approval environmental protection ship sewage disposal maritime regulations

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 279, Sec. 3. (SB 1360) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Section § 72420.2

This law prohibits the owners or operators of large passenger vessels and oceangoing ships from discharging graywater, hazardous waste, other waste, or oily bilgewater into California's marine waters and marine sanctuaries. Vessels with enough holding tank capacity must not release graywater into these areas.

(a) An owner or operator of a large passenger vessel shall not release, or permit anyone to release, from the vessel, graywater into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

(b) An owner or operator of a large passenger vessel or oceangoing ship shall not release, or permit anyone to release, from the vessel, hazardous waste, other waste, or oily bilgewater into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

(c) An owner or operator of an oceangoing ship with sufficient holding tank capacity shall not release, or permit anyone to release, from the vessel, graywater into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

large passenger vessel regulations graywater discharge prohibition hazardous waste prohibition oily bilgewater ban marine sanctuary protection waste management on ships vessel holding tank requirements oceangoing ship regulations California marine water laws marine environmental protection

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 279, Sec. 5. (SB 1360) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Section § 72421

If you're the owner or operator of a large passenger vessel or oceangoing ship in California, and you discover a release of graywater, sewage, hazardous waste, sewage sludge, or oily bilgewater into state marine waters or sanctuaries, you must notify the California Emergency Management Agency right away, and definitely within 30 minutes.

Your notification needs to include the date, time, location (with precise coordinates), volume, source of the release, and any steps you've taken to stop it from happening again.

The Emergency Management Agency, in turn, must forward this information to the board and the Department of Fish and Game within 30 minutes of receiving your notification.

(a) The owner or operator shall notify the California Emergency Management Agency immediately, but not longer than 30 minutes, after discovery of any of the following:

(1) A large passenger vessel release of graywater into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

(2) A large passenger vessel release of sewage into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

(3) A large passenger vessel or oceangoing ship release of hazardous waste, other waste, sewage sludge, or oily bilgewater into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

(4) An oceangoing ship with sufficient holding tank capacity release of sewage or graywater into the marine waters of the state or a marine sanctuary.

(b) The owner or operator shall include all of the following in the notification required pursuant to subdivision (a):

(1) Date of the release.

(2) Time of the release.

(3) Location, by latitude and longitude, of the release.

(4) Volume of the release.

(5) Source of the release.

(6) Remedial action taken to prevent future releases.

(c) The California Emergency Management Agency shall transmit the notification required by subdivision (a) to the board and the Department of Fish and Game immediately, but not longer than 30 minutes, after receiving the notification.

large passenger vessel graywater release sewage release hazardous waste release sewage sludge oily bilgewater marine waters marine sanctuary California Emergency Management Agency notification requirements remedial action release location fish and game department 30-minute notification holding tank capacity

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 279, Sec. 6. (SB 1360) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Section § 72423

If a large ship has the right kind of tanks, it must keep wastewater on board or use a pumpout facility to dispose of it. The ship isn’t allowed to dump sewage or graywater into California's ocean waters if a pumpout facility is available where the ship is docked.

An oceangoing ship with sufficient holding tank capacity and capability for transfer shall either hold on board or shall transfer sewage and graywater to a pumpout facility, if that facility is available and accessible for the oceangoing ship where the ship is docked, and shall not discharge sewage or graywater within the marine waters of the state.

oceangoing ship holding tank capacity sewage disposal graywater disposal pumpout facility marine waters wastewater management environmental regulations ship docked waste discharge prohibition onboard storage accessible facility waste transfer capability

(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 292, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 2007.)

Section § 72425

If you're in charge of an oceangoing ship that operated in California's waters during 2006, you need to report certain information to the commission when the ship leaves its first California port. The information includes details about the ship, such as its name, type, owner, tonnage, and crew size.

Additionally, you need to provide information about the ship's graywater and blackwater storage capabilities, its sanitation devices, and its connections for sewage and graywater transfer to facilities. You should also report the number of expected port calls within California during 2006. This information must be certified for accuracy by someone in charge.

The commission will then forward the information to the board by February 1, 2007, and the board will send it to the Legislature by October 1, 2007. The data can be provided electronically.

(a)

(1) If the master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of an oceangoing ship has operated, or has caused to be operated, the oceangoing ship in the marine waters of the state during 2006, that master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge shall provide the information described in subdivision (b) in electronic or written form to the commission upon the vessel’s departure from its first port or place of call in California beginning in 2006.

(2) The information described in subdivision (b) shall be submitted on a form developed by the commission.

(b) The master, owner, operator, or person in charge of the oceangoing vessel shall maintain on board the vessel, in written or electronic form, records that include all of the following information:

(1) Vessel information, including all of the following:

(A) Name.

(B) International Maritime Organization number or official number if the International Maritime Organization number has not been assigned.

(C) Vessel type.

(D) Owner or operator.

(E) Gross tonnage.

(F) Keel laid date.

(G) Port of registry.

(H) Typical or required number of crew.

(2) Graywater information, including the vessel’s ability to store graywater while in California waters and size and capacity of any graywater holding tanks, as measured in metric tons.

(3) Blackwater information, including the vessel’s ability to store blackwater while in California waters and size and capacity of any blackwater holding tanks, as measured in metric tons.

(4) Marine sanitation devices information, including number, size, and nature of devices on the vessel treating sewage prior to discharge.

(5) Connections to ensure transfer of sewage and graywater to pumpout facilities.

(6) California port of call information, including expected number of calls, in days, in ports within the state during 2006.

(7) Certification of accurate information, including the printed name, title, and signature of the master, owner, operator, or person in charge, or responsible officer attesting to the accuracy of the information provided.

(c) The commission shall submit the reported information to the board on or before February 1, 2007. The board shall submit the reported information to the Legislature on or before October 1, 2007. The board may submit the report to the Legislature in an electronic form.

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(Repealed and added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 588, Sec. 18. Effective January 1, 2006.)