SECTIONS 72400-72401 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 72400-72401

72400. The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:
(a) California is home to four of the 13 national marine
sanctuaries. These areas support some of the world's most diverse
marine ecosystems and are home to numerous mammals, seabirds, fish,
invertebrates, and plants.
(b) The protection and enhancement of the quality of the marine
waters of the state and marine sanctuaries, and the protection of
public health and the environment, requires that the release from
large passenger vessels and oceangoing ships of hazardous waste,
other waste, sewage sludge, and oily bilgewater, into the marine
waters of the state and marine sanctuaries, and the release of
graywater by large passenger ships into the marine waters of the
state, should be prohibited.

72401. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the protection
and enhancement of the quality of the marine waters of the state
requires that the release of sewage from large passenger vessels, and
the release of sewage and graywater from oceangoing ships with
sufficient holding tank capacity, into the marine waters of the state
should be prohibited.
(b) The Legislature intends to request the Congress of the United
States to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C.
Sec. 1251 and following) to provide California with authority similar
to that granted to the State of Alaska by Public Law 106-554, to
regulate the release of sewage from large passenger vessels and
oceangoing ships in the marine waters of the state.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2014, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2014, deletes or extends
that date.