The Cruise Ship Question Charleston’s Mission: Maximize Benefits, Minimize Costs The City of Charleston may reap financial benefits from welcoming an expanded cruise industry to its shores. But at what cost? As a city devoted to maintaining the highest standards of excellence, we must examine best practices for maximizing the economic benefits to our city, while minimizing the negative impacts associated with increased cruise ship visitation. If other American cities can make such reasonable requests, why can’t we? What Charleston Deserves… Prohibition of sewage, gray water and solid waste discharge within 3 miles of port Receipt of written, verifiable commitment from cruise lines that they will not discharge sewage, gray water and solid waste within 12 miles of port A comprehensive traffic impact analysis that considers off-site parking to alleviate traffic congestion and parking issues Enforcement of anti-idling ordinances for buses Limits on the numbers and size of ships calling annually, and a code that allows only one ship to dock at a time Designation of Charleston Harbor as a No Discharge Zone, and regular reporting of any spills or discharges Requirement (similar to California) that ships burn cleaner fuel, and prohibit garbage incineration, within 24 miles of Charleston Requirement that ships use plug-in power at berth when new terminal is operational, and use electric power by 2012 City provision of garbage and waste recycling/disposal services at berth, and requirement that ships offload garbage while in port, to avoid ocean dumping Per-passenger fees to the City, to cover the costs of additional municipal services and facilities See Reverse for CALL TO ACTION: WHAT CAN WE DO? For more information, visit

WHAT WE CAN DO 1.Reach out to City Council Members to express your concern, citing the guidelines referenced on the front page, and ask for laws, not promises. 2.Sign up at to receive updates on the Cruise Ship issue. Updates and information will be posted regularly. “ ‘Trust Us’ is not effective environmental policy.” -California State Senator J. Simitian MYTH vs. REALITY MYTH: Cruise ships can only be regulated at the federal and international levels. REALITY: Cities, including San Francisco, and states, including Alaska, California and Maine, have implemented more stringent standards or steps to mitigate the negative impact of visiting cruise ships. MYTH: Cruise lines no longer violate environmental regulations since the environmental fines of the 1990s, and obey self-imposed industry- wide standards. REALITY: The standards set by the industry are not law, but voluntary. Not one ship has ever been sanctioned by the industry for violating these voluntary standards, and there is no enforcement of industry standards by any agency. The cruise industry has a continuing record of violating air and water quality standards. For more information on cruise ship industry violations, visit or MYTH: Cruise ships cannot legally discharge raw sewage within 12 miles of shore. REALITY: International regulation (MARPOL Annex IV) prohibits discharge of sewage within 12 miles, but the U.S. did not adopt the regulation. As a result, ships may discharge raw sewage 3 miles off of American shores, and discharge treated sewage within 3 miles.