QUESTION
Council Member Alexa Aviles Asks About Subsidizing Shore Power and Scrubber Efficacy
1:47:19
·
4 min
Council Member Alexa Aviles questions the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) on taxpayer subsidies for shore power electricity and the efficacy of ship exhaust gas cleaning systems, known as scrubbers. The EDC confirms the subsidy and explains the process of capturing and treating sulfur and nitrogen oxides. The discussion raises concerns about alternative compliance methods, such as using exhaust gas scrubbers, and the environmental implications of liquefied natural gas as a supposedly cleaner option.
Speaker 2
1:47:19
It is it is true that the taxpayers are also subsidizing a a part of the electricity.
1:47:28
That ships are using as well.
1:47:30
Right?
1:47:30
So is that is that true?
1:47:33
Would you like to talk about
Speaker 6
1:47:34
That is true.
1:47:35
Because the When we installed the Shore Power system, it was understood that the the cost of the ship using its own power versus the cost of plugging into the New York City grid.
1:47:51
There was a differential, and we agreed because of the the public benefit, the air quality benefit to subsidize the difference between plugging in and allowing the vessels to burn their own fuel.
1:48:04
So so that is that is true and and it's part of our commitments really.
1:48:10
It's part of the learning curve, I think, for all of these systems that until we until this is a global, until other ports around the world have these systems, we are kind of the pioneers.
1:48:28
In getting the shipping the cruise lines to convert and be able to handle the shore power.
Speaker 2
1:48:35
But Okay.
1:48:37
Other ports do have these systems.
1:48:40
I mean, Europe is moving.
1:48:43
SPEEDily AND OTHER CITIES ARE COMMITTING MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVELY IN THEIR SYSTEMS.
1:48:48
BUT I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON IN TERMS OF In the in the letter, you say MSC is unable to plug in to shore power, but that they use the exhaust glass exhaust gas cleaning system that the air is scrubbed.
1:49:09
What happens till the sulfur ox side and nitrous oxide that is captured by the ship in this process.
1:49:22
Sure.
1:49:24
So I guess I guess to let me take one quick step back.
1:49:26
So as Mister Gantz noted, the ships are supposed to use the low sulfur.
1:49:40
We know that ship because they're supposed to be meeting standards, we know that ships or in fact not entirely using that and using alternative scrubbers as a way to meet this requirement.
1:49:52
That's pretty well known fact.
1:49:55
So I would I I think we're all aware of what I'd like to I'd like to hear from you.
1:50:03
What are the problems with the scrubbers and what happens to the sulfur oxide and nitrous oxide that is captured in the scrubbers.
Speaker 11
1:50:16
So thank you for that question, council member.
1:50:19
The the sulfur and the and then and the boxes that are captured through the filtering process go into a holding tank, and then that gets discharged to a treatment facility.
1:50:31
That the cruise lines have contracts with.
Speaker 2
1:50:34
And are there treatment facilities in New York City?
Speaker 11
1:50:37
They don't they don't discharge that yet in New York City.
Speaker 2
1:50:40
And do we ever test the water to see if any of that all those pollutants are being charged discharged in the local waters?
Speaker 11
1:50:50
The EPA oversees the oversees that aspect.
Speaker 2
1:50:56
Are you are you aware of any EPA studies of recent?
Speaker 11
1:51:01
We'd have to get back to you on that.
Speaker 2
1:51:05
Okay.
1:51:06
This You know, I think this is why I said clean energy.
1:51:10
But also, no.
1:51:10
I just have to point out the concerns of natural liquefied gas.
1:51:14
Which the industry will point to as a cleaner option, but in fact, is just as polluting and awful as as the other emissions.
1:51:25
So I hope in the work moving forward, we will not be captured by industry nonsense of a cleaner pollo in.
1:51:35
So I I just have to state that for the record.