Small Cruise Ship/State Ferry
Wastewater Discharge Options under the Commercial Passenger Vessel Environmental Compliance Program

Note: Small vessels do not fall under the Ocean Ranger program or the Cruise Ship General Permit

 Alaska law requires that the owner or operator of a small commercial passenger vessel (50 to 249 overnight passengers), registered under the Commercial Passenger Vessel Environmental Compliance (CPVEC) Program, may not discharge treated sewage, graywater and other wastewater in Alaska waters unless the vessel meets one of the options described below. The vessel owner or operator must choose an option at the time of registration with the State of Alaska.

• Standard terms and conditions under Alaska Statute (AS) 46.03.462(b) require that the fecal coliform concentration of the wastewater not exceed 200 fecal coliform/100 ml and the total suspended solids (TSS) not exceed 150 mg/L. Once an owner or operator chooses this option, their vessel’s compliance with these standards is demonstrated through required wastewater sampling and analytical test results submitted by the vessel owner/operator and by independent compliance inspection, sampling and analytical testing performed by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC).

• Vessel-specific alternative terms and conditions are required for a vessel that cannot practically comply with the standard terms and conditions described above. Upon application by the owner or operator, ADEC reviews, approves or denies alternative terms and conditions:

• alternative terms and conditions under AS 46.03.462(c), for a vessel which had its keel laid prior to January 1, 2004, that operate the vessel according to a Best Management Practices (BMP) Plan. The vessel-specific BMPs include practices that protect the environment to the maximum extent feasible through wastewater volume reduction, improved water quality, enhanced dispersion, or reduced human exposure; prohibited discharges in sensitive areas; crew/passenger training; vessel scheduling; and other means.

ADEC can approve plans for a three year period. Plans submitted after December 31, 2012 can not be approved for a period extending beyond December 31, 2015.

Alaska‘s original CPVEC law in 2001 established the standard terms and conditions and the alternative terms and conditions. Changes to Alaska’s CPVEC law in 2004 established additional alternative terms and conditions. As part of the 2004 law, the interim protective measures allowed under AS 46.03.463(b) and (c) are now the same as the alternative terms and conditions permitted under AS 46.03.462.

Small vessel owners or operators can obtain further information from the following links:

Regulations on BMP Plans (pdf)

ADEC Regulations and Statutes page

BMP Regulation Outline(pdf)

BMP Approval Criteria (pdf)

BMP Application (Word document)

Herring Spawning Areas(pdf)