Sponsors (5)
The bill would improve coastal air quality and public health by regulating vessel fuel under the Clean Air Act, but that benefit comes with higher costs for fuel suppliers and consumers and some transitional regulatory uncertainty.
Coastal communities and port/transportation workers will likely experience lower air pollution and improved public health/visibility as ocean-going vessel fuel is brought under the Clean Air Act and emissions (SOx, PM, NOx) are reduced.
Regulating vessel fuel will reduce harmful emissions from ships, benefitting local environments around ports and improving air quality more broadly.
Fuel suppliers and related companies will have clearer regulatory rules once the EPA issues implementing regulations within the required timeframe, reducing long‑term regulatory uncertainty.
Consumers and households may face higher prices for goods as increased shipping fuel costs raise freight and transportation expenses.
Fuel suppliers and shipping companies may incur higher compliance and fuel-switching costs to meet new standards, which could strain smaller firms.
The delayed effective date (rulemaking plus an effective second calendar year after enactment) could create transitional uncertainty for regulated parties during implementation.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds ocean-going vessel fuel to the Clean Air Act's renewable fuel coverage, requiring EPA to issue implementation regulations.
Amends the Clean Air Act to add fuel for ocean-going vessels to the list of fossil fuels covered by the existing renewable fuel program, bringing marine fuels under the statute's regulatory scope. The EPA must issue implementing regulations within one year of enactment and report on implementation to relevant congressional committees; the change takes effect in the second calendar year after enactment.
Introduced March 6, 2025 by John Peter Ricketts · Last progress March 6, 2025