Maritime Pollution Prevention Act of 2008
Public Law 110-280 · H.R. 802 · 110th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Jul 21, 2008 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN-8)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Elijah Cummings
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Maritime Pollution Prevention Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (Act) to provide for the adoption of Annex VI (Prevention of Air Pollution From Ships Enforcement) of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (MARPOL Convention, which includes any Protocols or Annexes entered into force for the United States). Makes the Act, with respect to Annex VI, applicable to: (1) ships in a port, shipyard, offshore terminal, or U.S. internal waters; (2) a ship that is bound for, or departing from, a port, shipyard, offshore terminal, or the internal waters of the United States and is in navigable U.S. waters or the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), an emission control, or other specified area; (3) a ship that is entitled to fly the flag of, or operating under the authority of, a party to Annex VI and is in navigable U.S. waters or the EEZ, an emission control, or other specified area; and (4) any other ship to the extent that, and in the same manner as, such ship may be boarded to implement or enforce any other U.S. law or Annex I, II, or V of the Convention, and that is in the EEZ or an emission control or other specified area. Authorizes, but does not require with respect to Annex VI, federal agency heads to determine that some or all Act requirements apply regarding vessel air emissions for public vessels operated under an agency's authority. Prohibits construing provisions relating to ships that are subject to preventive measures to restrict in a manner inconsistent with international law navigational rights and freedoms as defined by U.S. law, treaty, convention, or customary international law.
(Sec. 5) Permits only the Administrator (the Administrator) of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and no other person, to issue Engine International Air Pollution Prevention certificates in accordance with Annex VI and the International Maritime Organization's Technical Code on Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides from Marine Diesel Engines, on behalf of the United States for a documented U.S. vessel.
(Sec. 6) Gives a certificate issued by a country that is a party to the MARPOL Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL Protocol, which includes the Convention) the same validity as a certificate issued by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard (the Secretary) is operating (currently) or the Administrator.
(Sec. 7) Requires the Secretary and the Administrator, after consulting with appropriate federal agencies, jointly to prescribe regulations setting criteria for determining the adequacy of reception facilities for receiving ozone depleting substances, equipment containing such substances, and exhaust gas cleaning residues at a port or terminal, and stating any additional measures and requirements as are appropriate to ensure such adequacy. Permits denial of entry to a ship to a port without adequate reception facilities to receive such substances and residues.
(Sec. 8) Authorizes the Secretary to inspect a ship to which the Act applies to verify whether the ship is in compliance with Annex VI to the Convention and the Act and permits either the Secretary or the Administrator to undertake enforcement actions if an inspection or any other information indicates that there is a violation.
(Sec. 9) Authorizes the Secretary of State, after consulting with the Secretary (currently) or the Administrator, to act for the United States on Protocol and related amendments, including proposed amendments to Annex VI to the Protocol.
(Sec. 10) Permits the Administrator (currently, only the Secretary) to assess civil penalties.
(Sec. 12) Allows any person having an interest which is, or can be, adversely affected to bring an action on his own behalf against the Administrator for a failure to perform any nondiscretionary act or duty.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 31 actions.
- Jul 21, 2008Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 110-280.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 10, 2008FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jul 8, 2008Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Oberstar moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 802.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Jun 27, 2008FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jun 26, 2008FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 23, 2008CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 828.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-394.
- Apr 24, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Mar 28, 2007CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Mar 27, 2007CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate.
- Mar 26, 2007FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 359 - 48 (Roll no. 187).House roll call 187
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 802.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Cummings moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Mar 20, 2007CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 25.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 110-54.
- Feb 7, 2007CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Feb 5, 2007CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E257-258)
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.