A bill that would lighten cruise ship regulations is moving quickly through the Alaska state House.  The bill will allow ship discharge in mixing zones

The current law allows for DEC to measure the ships’ pollution at the point of discharge.  House Bill 134 passed its first committee of referral over the objections of some Democrats who said lawmakers haven’t sufficiently explored the latest technology. 

The cruise ship industry has campaigned the last couple of months to get the standards changed.  They have complained that they are being held to stricter standards than sewage treatment plants and seafood processors.

Alaska voters passed the initiative in 2006 for cruise ships to strictly adhere to water quality standards.