TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare resolution supporting ratification of Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, or MARPOL .
DISCUSSION
The International Convention for the prevention of Pollution from Ships, or
MARPOL, is the main international convention and agreement covering the
prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or
accidental causes. It is a combination of two treaties adopted in 1973 and 1978
respectively and updated by amendments and through the years.
MARPOL's Annex VI -Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships, adopted in
1997, enters into force on May 19, 2005 and will set limits on sulfur oxide and
nitrogen oxide emissions from ship exhaust and prohibits deliberate emissions of
ozone oxide and emissions of ozone depleting substances. Annex VI calls for a
global cap of 4.5 percent m/m on the sulfured content of fuel oil and calls on the
International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency, to monitor the
worldwide sulfur content of fuel once the Protocol comes into force.
We encourage the City of Long Beach to join the Harbor Department in
urging the U.S. Senate to the ratify Annex VI of the International Convention for
the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and to adopt this proposal in the City's
2005 Legislative Agenda.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
[Timing Considerations]
FISCAL IMPACT
[Fiscal Impact]
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Councilmember Dan Baker, Second District
Councilmember Frank Colonna, Third District
Councilmember Tonia Reyes Uranga, Seventh District