Cruise rule change
tangles up assembly

By Jessica Edwards

After heated debate, the Haines Borough Assembly tabled a resolution urging the Alaska Legislature to relax current standards for cruise ship wastewater discharges set down in a 2006 voter initiative.

Assemblyman Pete Lapham was excused from the meeting to attend a wood heat conference in Montana at the request of borough manager Tom Bolen.

The resolution, brought before the assembly at the request of Doug Olerud, encourages the legislature to revise the standards to levels that would protect the environment, based on Department of Environmental Conservation recommendations, without affecting the cruise industry “in a manner that is technologically and financially unreasonable or impractical.”

Ten residents testified in favor of the resolution, saying it showed timely support for an industry crucial to the local economy. One testified against, saying the assembly and the state should protect clean water for Alaskans.

After discussion, assemblyman Scott Rossman moved to table the resolution “so we can have the whole assembly here. It wasn’t going anywhere.” The assembly can revive the resolution at the next regular assembly meeting, scheduled for March 24.

State legislators are considering a bill that would strike a provision from the cruise law that prevents DEC from granting mixing zones to cruise ships when measuring effluent levels in discharge.

Under current law, cruise ship effluents are measured at the point to discharge, or “at the pipe.” Cruise lines say they can’t meet the initiative standards for ammonia, copper, nickel and zinc by the state’s 2010 deadline.

DEC says the standards for ships are more stringent than those for other industries, which are allowed mixing zones, and for municipalities.

Olerud said DEC confirmed technology didn’t exist for ships to meet standards by 2010, and said state regulators should be given the power to decide safe effluent levels.

Olerud said he liked the idea of building a shore-based treatment facility to treat ship wastewater, but said municipalities wouldn’t be able to meet the deadline, either. Further, it’s unfair to make ships meet far more stringent standards than other dischargers, including municipalities, he said.

Bolen said he learned at a Feb. 20 state wastewater conference potable water the ships brought on board in Southeast ports exceeded metals levels allowed by the law.

Assemblyman Norm Smith   opposed the resolution, calling it a “step backwards for me, the town of Haines, and the cruise lines.”

Smith said the cruise industry had a history of violating water quality dating to the 1970s, and said while great strides had been made in recent years, lawmakers should leave the initiative standards in place.

“It’s easier to extend the time frame than to lower the requirements.”

Assemblyman Steve Vick said he was uncomfortable bucking voter sentiment.

In other business, the assembly gave Bolen the nod to hire former Greens Creek Mine project coordinator Brad Maynard as borough director of public facilities and capital projects, pending successful negotiations with the union to exclude the position from the bargaining unit.

Bolen recommended a salary of $80,000 per year for Maynard, with expected hours of 55 or 60 per week, plus full benefits and $2,500 for moving expenses.

“I feel like he’s a great find for us,” said Bolen.

The Haines Borough received 10 applications for harbormaster, and Bolen said he would short-list candidates this month. He said he planned to decide on a hire and ask for assembly approval, but didn’t know if interviews would could be conducted in time for the March 24 meeting.

    

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