867
Views

Princess Fined $20,000 for Cruise Waste Discharge in Glacier Bay

Published Jan 30, 2013 10:09 AM by The Maritime Executive

Princess Cruise Lines has been fined $20,000 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for allegedly discharging pool water in the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

The EPA announced the penalty yesterday, but the case was settled in December.

The charge dates back to May 2011. According to the consent decree, a software malfunction on the Golden Princess ship caused its pool dump valves to open, reported the San Francisco Chronicle. The incident resulted in about 277 tons of pool water being discharged. A vessel general permit, which the ship was operating under, banned the discharge of pool or spa water in the park.

Princess alerted the EPA of the discharges the day after they happened.