CLIA Blasts Environmental Group's Cruise Report Card
Travel Weekly
September 17, 2009
CLIA's response to Friends of the Earth's environmental report card for cruise lines was a scathing one.
"The so-called 'report card' released by Friends of the Earth is not based on science, law or the facts, but rather Friends of the Earth's own arbitrary and flawed criteria," CLIA said.
Adding that the report reveals more about the group's "own agenda than it does the environmental practices of CLIA member cruise lines," CLIA said that the grades "clearly ignore the fact that our cruise lines comply with and in most cases exceed all applicable environmental regulations set by the federal government and other regulatory bodies around the world.
"Fortunately, Friends of the Earth has no authority in the matter," CLIA said. "Regulatory compliance is not based on meeting Friends of the Earth's biased, unscientific interpretation of what the rules should be."
CLIA noted that the report chastises lines for not using shoreside power when ships are in port, even though only five berths in North America make this option available.
Also, ships not equipped with wastewater purification systems still use federally required sewage treatment systems and produce outflow that meets national clean-water standards, CLIA said.
"FOE's attack purposely omits many key facts that discredit its report," CLIA said.
For example, CLIA said the water pollution standards that Friends of the Earth used to grade water quality compliance are not standards at all.
"They are future wastewater targets in Alaska not yet in effect," CLIA said. "In fact, these targets have been postponed until 2015."