PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 870.
Congressional Research Service
Version 80 · Reported to Senate without amendment · Jul 10, 2008
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Marine Vessel Emissions Reduction Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate regulations that require specified marine vessels to use fuel that contains not more than 1,000 parts per million of sulfur in their main and auxiliary engines, effective December 31, 2010. Applies such regulations to marine vessels that are within 200 miles of the coasts of the continental United States or the shoreline of the Great Lakes or St. Lawrence Seaway, as the Administrator determines to be appropriate for the purpose of protecting public health and the environment.
Authorizes interim regulations that permit sulfur content in excess of 1,000 parts per million if the Administrator determines that compliance with such requirement is not technically feasible by such date. Requires any such interim regulations to require marine vessels to: (1) use fuel that contains the lowest quantity of sulfur that is technically feasible by such date not exceeding 2,000 parts per million; and (2) achieve compliance with the 1,000 parts per million standard on the earliest date technically feasible.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Authorizes the Administrator to provide for an alternative mechanism of compliance for a marine vessel if: (1) the vessel employs a control technology that reduces emissions of sulfur oxides and particulate matter to at least the same degree as the reduction that would be achieved through compliance with the applicable fuel sulfur content limitation; and (2) the emission reductions achieved are in addition to any reductions required to achieve compliance with an applicable engine emission standard.
(Sec. 4) Requires: (1) the Administrator, no later than December 15, 2008, to establish and periodically revise standards for emissions of oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide from newly-manufactured and in-use main and auxiliary engines in oceangoing marine vessels that enter or leave a U.S. port or offshore terminal; and (2) such standards to require, beginning January 1, 2012, that the engines achieve the greatest degree of emission reduction achievable through the application of available technology. Sets forth factors for the Administrator to consider when promulgating such standards.
Directs the Administrator, upon determining that the maximum level of control required by regulations applicable to on-road, nonroad, and stationary engines or achieved by sources from which control technologies may be transferred (including sources that use advanced aftertreatment technologies) will not be technically achievable by January 1, 2012, to promulgate: (1) standards that require the level of control that will be technically achievable by that date; and (2) additional standards that require either such maximum level of control or the level that will be technically achievable beginning January 1, 2016. Requires such standards to apply to vessels that enter or leave a port or offshore terminal of the United States.
Provides for the enforcement of in-use engine standards against: (1) owners or operators; and (2) persons that rebuild or maintain such engines.
People & committees
Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] · D–CA
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 870.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer without amendment. With written report No. 110-413. Minority views filed.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer without amendment. With written report No. 110-413. Minority views filed.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 110-1239.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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