Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles (D) blasted the cruise ship industry yesterday for polluting state waters and demanded that state and federal governments tighten “woefully inadequate” cruise ship regulations. Preliminary tests of sewage and wastewater that were dumped by 12 ships in Alaska waters this summer found all the ships to be in violation of federal standards for fecal coliform bacteria and other pollutants. Knowles and Coast Guard Capt. Ed Page said the test results could lead to charges against cruise ship lines. Knowles also joined enviros and a federal prosecutor yesterday to criticize proposed federal cruise ship legislation sponsored by Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska), saying it had serious loopholes that would, among other things, allow the dumping of toxic chemicals like the dry-cleaning solvent PERC.
