Title 33

SECTION 159.309

159.309 Limitations on discharge of treated sewage or graywater.

§ 159.309 Limitations on discharge of treated sewage or graywater.

(a) No person shall discharge treated sewage or graywater from a cruise vessel into the applicable waters of Alaska unless:

(1) The cruise vessel is underway and proceeding at a speed of not less than six knots;

(2) The cruise vessel is not less than one nautical mile from the nearest shore, except in areas designated by the Coast Guard in consultation with the State of Alaska;

(3) The discharge complies with all applicable cruise vessel effluent standards established pursuant to Pub. L. 106-554 and any other applicable law, and

(4) The cruise vessel is not in an area where the discharge of treated sewage or graywater is prohibited.

(b) Until such time as the Administrator promulgates regulations addressing effluent quality standards for cruise vessels operating in the applicable waters of Alaska, treated sewage and graywater may be discharged from vessels in circumstances otherwise prohibited under paragraph (a)(1) and (2) of this section provided that:

(1) Notification to the Captain of the Port (COTP) is made not less than 30 days prior to the planned discharge, and such notice includes results of tests showing compliance with this section;

(2) The discharge satisfies the minimum level of effluent quality specified in 40 CFR 133.102;

(3) The geometric mean of the samples from the discharge during any 30-day period does not exceed 20 fecal coliform/100 milliliters (ml) and not more than 10 percent of the samples exceed 40 fecal coliform/100 ml;

(4) Concentrations of total residual chlorine do not exceed 10.0 micrograms per liter (µgm/l);

(5) Prior to any such discharge occurring, the owner, operator or master, or other person in charge of a cruise vessel, can demonstrate to the COTP that test results from at least five samples taken from the vessel representative of the effluent to be discharged, on different days over a 30-day period, conducted in accordance with the guidelines promulgated by the Administrator in 40 CFR part 136, which confirm that the water quality of the effluents proposed for discharge is in compliance with paragraphs (b)(2), (3) and (4) of this section; and

(6) To the extent not otherwise being done by the owner, operator, master or other person in charge of a cruise vessel, pursuant to § 159.317 of this subpart, the owner, operator, master or other person in charge of a cruise vessel shall demonstrate continued compliance through sampling and testing for conventional pollutants and residual chlorine of all treated sewage and graywater effluents periodically as determined by the COTP.

[66 FR 38930, July 26, 2001, as amended at USCG-2005-21531, 70 FR 36350, June 23, 2005]

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