Shipping Goes Up, Pollution Goes Down: U.S. EPA Issues Final Rule for Diesel Emissions
Diesel pollution from the shipping industry should be expected to soar in the near future as shipping traffic increases, but the U.S. EPA has just taken an important step toward nipping the emissions trend in the bud. On December 22 the agency announced that it has finalized a tougher rule for engines and fuel on U.S.-flagged ships, bringing this country in accord with more sustainable international standards.
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The new rule is part of an overall effort to reduce diesel emissions and other forms of air pollution along the coasts of Canada and the U.S. It is an early Christmas present for port cities, which are most directly affected by diesel emissions from ships. It is also expected to have a positive impact on air quality in inland areas as well, affecting millions of U.S residents.
More Shipping, Not More Pollution
The EPA rule is also part of an international strategy to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from large ships such as cargo ships and oil tankers. Once fully implemented, the effort is expected to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 percent and particulate matter emissions by 85%, despite the anticipated increase in shipping traffic. The EPA estimates that the cost of implementing the new rules is about $3 billion, which will be far outweighed by the $270 billion value of the anticipated health benefits.
U.S EPA, Coastal Communities, and International Shipping
The new diesel emissions rules affect the large “Category 3” diesel engines, which are the main propulsion engines on most ocean-going ships. The rule-making process also involves designating an official Emissions Control Area for thousands miles of coastline in the U.S. and Canada. The formal designation is needed in order to enable the U.S. EPA rule to affect ships other than those with U.S. flags. In March 2010, a United Nations agency is scheduled to vote on adopting the EPA rules. That move would in effect place the EPA standards on all ships operating in the designated area, whether domestic or foreign.
Cleaner Ships on the Horizon
Reducing emissions from diesel engines is only part of the maritime industry’s turn toward more sustainable practices. Some companies are even experimenting with a return to wind powered shipping. Controlling the buildup of barnacles and other organisms on ship’s hulls is another important means of increasing efficiency and reducing emissions. The U.S. Navy and the University of Florida are among the research institutions developing more sustainable biocides and high-tech coatings that would be more effective and less toxic than the chemicals currently in use.
Image: Emissions from cargo ship by robylab, on flickr.com.
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The US Navy already has more than 55 years worth of experience in building and operation completely emission free vessels. Nuclear power is clean enough to seal inside submarines and it is far more reliable and effective for propelling useful ships than wind.
The US Navy already has more than 55 years worth of experience in building and operation completely emission free vessels. Nuclear power is clean enough to seal inside submarines and it is far more reliable and effective for propelling useful ships than wind.
This is great news but the part about this only applying to US flag ships is somewhat troublesome. This should apply to all ship calling into US ports. Seems to me that’s a pretty big loophole, one that the shipping industry will be quick to exploit.
This is great news but the part about this only applying to US flag ships is somewhat troublesome. This should apply to all ship calling into US ports. Seems to me that’s a pretty big loophole, one that the shipping industry will be quick to exploit.
If the cheap nasty sulfur rich bunker oil is only eliminated in coastal areas, it will have little effect on the overall picture if it can be used on the high seas. If this bunker oil is eliminated altogether, the price of oil would have to rise to allow these ships to use more refined oil, and what then happens to the bunker oil?
The only practical long term solution is for larger ships to go nuclear of course which is easy for the navies to do with aircraft carriers which are pretty well guarded. If merchant ships were to go nuclear, they would need to be armed or would need to use a non weapon friendly nuclear power such as thorium power.
Funnily enough a nuclear battery is already available from Toshiba and a few others that are about the right size to power large ships, maybe even smaller ones.
If the cheap nasty sulfur rich bunker oil is only eliminated in coastal areas, it will have little effect on the overall picture if it can be used on the high seas. If this bunker oil is eliminated altogether, the price of oil would have to rise to allow these ships to use more refined oil, and what then happens to the bunker oil?
The only practical long term solution is for larger ships to go nuclear of course which is easy for the navies to do with aircraft carriers which are pretty well guarded. If merchant ships were to go nuclear, they would need to be armed or would need to use a non weapon friendly nuclear power such as thorium power.
Funnily enough a nuclear battery is already available from Toshiba and a few others that are about the right size to power large ships, maybe even smaller ones.
When this Old World starts getting you down. From Pollution the cost of OIL,
Heating Fuel,The Fuel you put in your Vehicles, You Electric Bills from
cooling air conditioners and lights not to speak of the Evil. The TAX that all
Governments Federal, State, County and City put on everything they can thing of.
They are supposed to serve us. Not put a burden on its people. That they are
elected to serve all the people you, not their own Pocket Books.
The Wicked keep putting higher taxes on everything. Making it a Heavy
Burden on many that are already struggling just to put food on the table.
Too many Americans have lost their home to the tax collector or to foreclosures
from the unjust bankers greed. More are out of work and lost their homes then
in the GREAT DEPRESSION,in the last ten years. All Americans and many Nations
need good jobs and more of them. Not more TAXES.
There is a Industry that will employ workers and is growing by more then 50%
every year. There is a clear way for all up on the roof the Sun Light is free
fuel from GOD. Some wicked in Government have been backing Coal, Oil, Gas and
the Nuclear industries for too many years. These kickbacks to them were called
Subsidizing Industry Technology. Most all Wise Men and smart Economist and
Environmentalists call this padding their pockets and subsidizing back to the
Stone Age.
This might even been funny in the 1960?s. If it were a Fred Flintstones and
Barny Rubble Movie. About How to aggressively systematically work with the rich
to Pollute Ground Water quality to the point it is unsafe to drink or use.
So to they make a law you can only buy water from their pipe line. And to make
the air we breath full of Toxic Gases, Sulfur Dioxide and more Radioactive
and Acid Rain. Injuring all living things on Earth.
With Fred Flintstones to the Rescue. To help create a Healthier Environment.
For all Future Generations. By spotlighting Renewable Energy and Free Energy
like Wind and Solar. On his and his neighbor Barny Rubble’s roof. Even though
the greedy wicked would do everything to stop or slow them down.
Just imagine a dream that a 100 years ago one of the smartest man to ever
live had. A dream after working with Sun Light. That all on Earth would use
Free Energy Solar Energy.
That Dream also shared by a man that dreamed this over 2,250 years ago.
Both These men showed the world in their days. That this dream of Free Energy
Solar Energy World wide was very possible. Both of these two wise men had
first hand worked and researched their experiments for not just days, weeks
put for many years.
One of these men used chalk on Black Board the others board was a black
stone table or floor covered with white sand and used a stick. One of these
two Brilliant men had Kings from all most every Kingdom on Earth come to him
for advice.
The other went to almost every nation on Earth. Freely on his own dime
Teaching All that had ears to hear. He would win the Nobel Prize for doing so.
For his work on Solar Energy. Only after years of doing research and when most
Scientist on Earth would not take the nomination for the Nobel Prize in 1921
this Brilliant scientist was awarded it in 1922 for the 1921 year.
Now if this was just a Pretend TV Show or a Movie from a dream. This would
be a great Sci Fi Story Line. In the 1960?s or even better to day. Sci Fi story
Movie or dream No.
All that i Have told you did actually really happen. Albert Einstein won the
Nobel Prize for what? When Government leaders asked him to go on stage. To
address the Scientific Community and the World. About what he was given the
Nobel Prize for. When Albert Einstein Had done so. He addressed them with his
other accomplishments. For years most Governments did not have a ear for
Einstein’s Dream.
Archimedes around 250 B.C. was know most of the World over as a great
Mathematician. One of the first Scientist and Inventor of many things. Even
the first Laser Ray from the Sun’s Energy. Science Fiction is what you would
have though you were seeing if you could go back in time, it was real.To day
we call it The LASER, Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission. Back then it
was just called Amplification of the SUN Archimedes Death Ray.
Thousand of years later it would be a Laser. That Albert Einstein help
make possible. That would unlock one of the first books on Earth.
The METHOD written by Archimedes. Then over more then 250 years later. When
well Faded was cut from a scroll and put into a book form, to be easier to
hide from the Romans by St. Paul. This book sold for over 2 million dollars.
In New york at Christie’s Auction House.
These two are at the top of the list of the World’s Greatest Scientists,
Viewed by Scientist around the World.
Sad that for the last 25 years or so of every teacher asked no matter what
Grade k through 16. 80% of them did not know Archimedes. Even sadder 90%
of them could not tell you what one of the most Brilliant Scientist to ever
live on Earth. Won the Nobel Prize for.
It was for the work Albert Einstein did to show the World it could get
Free Energy, Electric from the SUN. PHOTOVOLTAICS
You ask this question to any Military general 95% of them will get it right.
Even more surprising 99% of them will know more about Archimedes then most
Teachers on Earth. Generals know Energy is the key to Winning.
At almost one thousand to one Archimedes always won against what all knew was
impossible odds. Archimedes home town city of Syracuse was victorious against the
greatest Kingdoms Armies on earth many times. Syracuse once was one of the most
powerful cities in the World.
I can only ask you to please look into Solar Energy, Solar Power, Solar Panels
and Solar array on the internet under Images. To see and explore for your self
then you be the JURY.
More then 10 years ago the Internet became most of the World’s Universities
Learning Platform. A Modern Day Archimedes Resource Center.
The Solar Energy Industry in the year 2010 has leaped ahead farther and
faster then any other industry on Earth. The Solar Industry in the
United States of America alone, has grown by more then 50% in 2010 and it looks
like that number will go up even higher this year 2011.
The strong benefits of Solar Energy is Clear Clean Air viewed in major cities
as improving air quality. Clean Cities. By all that use there brain for good .
View it as protecting the environment and Freedom from OIL.
While the Federal Government has eased the Tax on Renewable Energy till the end
of this year 2011. Some cities in the states that these Legislators come from have
worked against these tax credits.
By doing so they are showing their true objectives. That they have stock in some power plants and do not want to lose all that Money they have been taking out of your pocket books for too many years. By taxing you on your Energy Bills. They want to Control Power and Tax Everything they can. Not let People be free to get their own power from the top of their own roofs.
By adding their own taxes to them. These wicked leaders think that this will take away the incentives to harvest the Free Energy from the Sun.
The Public ability and awareness for all on Earth to use the Natural Solar Energy, is Contributing to Production of Solar Energy Products. Making the Solar Energy Industry the fastest growing on Earth. A Wealth of Free Energy From The SUN.
The more the wicked try to slow the Solar Energy Industry down, it only Enhances
involvement and the efforts of the Good at Heart.
GOD Bless you for reading this.
The Lord’s little Helper
Paul Felix Schott
PS
through out History Many have tried to wipe the good from our history books.
Read the Bible Jesus will Bless you more then i can.