Finally Low Sulphur Fuel Thanks to Great Local Campaign
Leichhardt Council has hailed it a significant win for council, the local community and the local State Member that cruise ships using White Bay will need to use low Sulphur fuels from October 1.
Mayor Rochelle Porteous said that the new regulations will begin to address the health and pollution issues facing local residents on the Balmain peninsula, and others in Sydney Harbour.
“Leichhardt Council has campaigned long and hard to protect our local residents from the impacts of sulphur fuel,” she said.
“The environmental and health impacts of sulphur fuel are well documented and it is encouraging to see the State Government taking real action to make sure that the health considerations of our residents outweigh the economic considerations of a single industry.
“We have had to fight hard – holding public meetings and rallies, lobbying Ministers and the Environmental Protection Agency and giving evidence at the Parliamentary Inquiry – all part of the advocacy work that a local council does on behalf of its local community.
“However, there are still many recommendations from the White Bay Cruise Ship Inquiry that are not being addressed.”
The State Government has so far failed to back the recommended need for an Environmental Protection Licence.
“And instead of immediately implementing ship to shore power as the Inquiry also recommended, residents are going to get a feasibility study that may drag on for some time while they continue to suffer unacceptable levels of noise and air pollution,” said Cr Porteous.
“The Government has shown with this regulation that it can act. We need more decisive action to address the ongoing operation of the Terminal with its resultant air and noise pollution.
“Leichhardt Council will continue to lobby the Government to fully implement all of the Inquiry findings that were delivered. However the fact remains that this Cruise Ship Terminal should never have been approved on a site located so close to residential homes.”
The regulation will amend the Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2010 to require cruise ships to use low sulphur fuel (0.1% or less) as follows:
From 1 October 2015 – when berthed in Sydney Harbour (White Bay and Overseas Passenger Terminal).
From 1 July 2016 – when otherwise operating in Sydney Harbour.
Leichhardt Council is calling on the Government to
Reconsider their stance against the Inquiry recommendation to require that the cruise terminal have an Environmental Protection Licence.
Take decisive action and implement the requirement for shore to ship power.
Provide practical support to a review of air pollution limits and install monitoring units on the peninsula.
For additional comment, phone Leichhardt Mayor Rochelle Porteous on 0418 213 054 or Media & Communications Coordinator Kate Walsh on 0421 224 366