Claiming that the North American Emissions Control Area being extended to Alaska would hurt the state’s tourism industry by increasing shipping costs for cruise companies that would have to purchase more expensive fuel, the state of Alaska has sued the Obama administration.
The problem stems from the expansion of an Environmental Protection Agency rule that would require cruise lines, of which many are based in South Florida, and cargo carriers to use low-sulfur fuel according to a Bloomberg report. It is believed that the rule will greatly increase shipping costs to Alaska and harm the state’s tourism industry.
The regulations, set to be enforced Auust. 1, require marine cargo carriers and cruise lines to use costly and difficult-to- obtain low-sulfur fuel, Alaska Attorney General Michael Geraghty told Bloomberg in an e-mail yesterday, saying the decision to include Alaska in the enforcement zone was based on flawed or incomplete data.
Flickr photo by drurydrama (Len Radin)
Related articles
