Testimony of Margaux Dodds, Director & Co-founder, Marine Connection, PO Box 2404, London, W2 3WG, UK

Supporting HCR 58 HD 1 (HSCR1787) REQUESTING PROHIBITIONS ON THE DUMPING OF VESSEL SEWAGE WITHIN WHALE SANCTUARY

Senate Energy & Environment Committee
Tuesday, April 17 , 2007, 3:15 PM, Room 414

Further to my previous email of Tuesday 10 April 2007 regarding SCR 114, I write again on behalf of our charity and members worldwide to urge the Senate to pass Resolutions HCR58 HD1. I am given to understand that the House of Representatives have made some excellent improvements in encouraging DOCARE to investigate the clean, cost-effective and convenient use of mobile dock-side pumping out trucks to haul the sewage from ships to a centre for land-based treatment. This has proven to be a more effective method than the existing permanent pumping out facilities.

Our charity works worldwide with NGOs in many countries on dolphin and whale welfare and conservation and have learned from colleagues in Maui that the amount of sewage encountered by humans and animals in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary has increased dramatically over recent years. The State of Hawaii has prohibited dumping sewage in State waters, however we are very concerned that the federal government appears to have not addressed the issue, especially as it is still currently legal for tour boat vessels to be discharge sewage beyond state waters, much of which is in the middle of the Whale Sanctuary which is very alarming when you look at the statistics; tour boat vessels operating within the Whale Sanctuary waters from Maui alone accommodate well over one million passengers per year, creating a huge amount of sewage which, when dumped in the ocean, is harmful to humans using the waters for recreation and also to the marine life within the sanctuary and the habitat itself.

We therefore urge the federal government to address as a matter of urgency this existing “loophole” in the legislation which allows this practice to continue, and prohibit dumping of sewage at sea in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback National Marine Sanctuary to ensure its protection. We believe this is vital not only for the safety of humans who swim in these waters which are becoming dangerously contaminated, but also to protect the endangered whales, hawksbill & green sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals who frequent the area.

Thank you for you consideration.