Whitehouse, Padilla, Matsui, Mullin reintroduce legislation to reduce ocean shipping pollution, modernize maritime industry

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Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), and Alex Padilla (D-CA), a member of the Committee, along with Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA-07) and Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), reintroduced legislation aimed at reducing harmful pollution from the global shipping industry. Maritime shipping is a significant … Read more

Congressman Robert Garcia and Senator Alex Padilla reintroduce the ‘Clean Shipping Act’ to reduce port pollution and protect the health of port communities

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Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) reintroduced the Clean Shipping Act. This bill establishes a path to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from large ships that come to U.S. ports, protecting the health of port communities and addressing the environmental and climate impacts of shipping pollution. Specifically, the bill would mandate … Read more

Refinery communities urge caution as California Energy Commission lays out approach to refinery closures

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SACRAMENTO — Environmental justice, climate and refinery community groups urged caution today as the California Energy Commission laid out their approach to stabilizing supply and preparing for transition amid refinery closures. “Big Oil is manipulating supply issues to shakedown taxpayers and maximize their profits,” said Darryl Molina Sarmiento, executive director of Communities for a Better … Read more

Blame game won’t solve California’s climate and energy crisis

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SACRAMENTO — On Friday, May 30, California Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains (D-Delano) publicly called for Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), to resign. Chair Randolph’s testimony before the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee was clear, nuanced and aligned with CARB’s long-standing mandate: to protect public health and advance clean air and climate … Read more

Activists stage mock Amazon Career Fair at University of Washington to spotlight company’s climate and labor failures

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SEATTLE (Traditional Puget Sound Salish and Duwamish Lands) —  As Amazon continues its aggressive recruitment efforts at the University of Washington (UW), a coalition of climate and labor activists – including Stand.earth, the University of Washington Institutional Climate Action, and Troublemakers, with support from Pacific Environment’s Ship It Zero campaign – hosted a satirical “Amazon … Read more

International Maritime Organization climate talks fall short, groups still optimistic about clean shipping future

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LONDON — The International Maritime Organization (IMO) concluded its latest round of climate negotiations without reaching a consensus on critical measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the global shipping industry, falling short of the climate targets under the IMO’s own 2023 GHG Strategy. The closed-door talks, held during the 83rd session of the Marine … Read more

Pacific Environment announces new California climate policy director

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SACRAMENTO — Pacific Environment welcomes Davina Hurt as its new California Climate Policy Director, effective January 30, 2025. Prior to joining Pacific Environment, Davina Hurt was appointed to the California Air Resources Board by Governor Gavin Newsom in December 2020 and served on the board for more than four years. Ms. Hurt is an attorney, … Read more

CMA CGM Group orders electric barge for Nike goods 

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VIETNAM — According to The Maritime Executive, CMA CGM plans to operate and develop a 100% electric barge for Nike goods in Vietnam. The group said that the barge is part of its long-term commitment and decarbonization plans. However, CMA also told Loadstar this week that it ordered 12 new liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels … Read more

IKEA leads on green shipping, but more action needed for zero-emission ships

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SAN FRANCISCO — Pacific Environment’s Ship It Zero coalition commends IKEA for continuing to prioritize maritime shipping decarbonization, as reflected in the company’s FY24 Climate and Sustainability reports released this week. As the leading retailer in green shipping, Pacific Environment encourages IKEA to push other retailers to move towards zero-emission ships and commit to truly … Read more

Maersk and Hapag Lloyd tout sustainability, but their agreement still runs on dirty, fossil fuels

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SAN FRANCISCO — Offshore Energy reported today that industry giants Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have signed an agreement for a new long-term operational collaboration called ”Gemini Cooperation,” which will start in February 2025. The following statement is from Jonathan Butler, Pacific Environment’s Climate Campaign Manager for Corporate and lead representative of the Ship It Zero campaign:  … Read more

Pacific Environment celebrates introduction of Washington statewide shore power policy bill

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SEATTLE (February 5, 2025) — Today, Pacific Environment celebrated the introduction of HB 1689 by Washington State Representatives Julia Reed, Liz Berry, Lisa Parshley, Beth Doglio, Gerry Pollet and Alex Ramel. The landmark bill will direct the Department of Ecology to adopt a statewide shore power policy that will accelerate shore power installation across the … Read more

Poison in the water: The call to ban scrubber discharge

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LONDON — Pacific Environment has released a report, Poison in the Water: The Call to Ban Scrubber Discharge, The Health and Environmental Costs Industry Wants Us to Ignore, that lays out the case for why the International Maritime Organization (IMO) should immediately ban scrubber discharge into the marine environment. The IMO’s Pollution Prevention and Response … Read more

Alaska’s pipe dream: The economic folly of the North Slope gasline

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ANCHORAGE — A new report, Alaska’s Pointless Pipe Dream. It’s Time to Stop Burning Money on the North Slope Gasline, released today critiques the proposed Alaska LNG export project from Alaska’s North Slope to Southcentral Alaska. The report concludes that there is no plausible economic argument or benefit to continue chasing the state’s long-held pipe … Read more

EPA approves partial waiver for commercial harbor craft, clearing the air for millions of Californians and catalyzing technology innovation

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Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the majority of California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) waiver request for the Commercial Harbor Craft Rule, including most of the zero-emission requirements.   This regulation paves the way for zero-emissions harbor craft such as ferries, tugboats and workboats. This rule will significantly improve the air  Californians living by … Read more

New York City Council introduces Zero-Emission Ports Feasibility Study Bill

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NEW YORK CITY (December 19, 2024) — The New York City Council introduced Bill LS 17648 today that calls for a feasibility study of zero-emission port operations by 2040 that includes all aspects of port transportation, maintenance, loading and unloading, ocean-going vessels, handling equipment, trucks and locomotives. The feasibility study would be delivered one year … Read more

Biden administration releases new U.S. Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan 

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WASHINGTON (December 16, 2024) — On December 11, President Biden announced a U.S. Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan that builds on the foundations presented in the administration’s U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. The maritime decarbonization plan provides near- and long-term strategies for decarbonizing the maritime sector and identifies key actions that the federal government and … Read more

Rep. Barragán introduces Zero-Emission Vessel Innovation Act

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WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (D-CA) introduced the Zero-Emission Vessel Innovation Act, a bill that would support the development and deployment of clean shipping technology to transition to zero-emission vessels. The legislation would significantly reduce pollution, promote environmental justice, and green the shipping industry—a vital component of the global economy and coastal communities. Maritime shipping … Read more

Washington voters protect Climate Commitment Act

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SEATTLE — On November 5, 2024, voters in Washington defeated a ballot initiative that would have repealed the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), the market-based cap-and-invest program requiring the state’s largest polluters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More than 575 organizations in a diverse coalition including labor, Tribal, environmental and business stakeholders joined together to protect … Read more