HOLD THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY ACCOUNTBALE

Virginia's economy is deeply tied to the water, and shipping pollution directly threatens other stakeholders who also rely on these resources:

• The Seafood Industry: The Chesapeake Bay supports the largest clam      industry on the East Coast. Ocean acidification from scrubber wastewater      (used to "clean" dirty fuel exhaust) directly harms the ability      of oysters and crabs to reproduce. Toxins from wastewater bioaccumulate in      oysters, crabs, fish, and ultimately consumers of Virginia’s seafood. 

• Tourism and Recreation: Coastal communities depend on clean air and water to      attract visitors. A single cruise ship can emit as much 24M gallons/week  of toxic wastewater per week and has emissions equivalent to 10s or 100s of thousand of cars depending on the emission type (SOx, NOx, PM, CO2), degrading the very natural beauty that drives Virginia's $24 billion tourism sector.

  The health impact of shipping emissions is not distributed equally; it often falls most heavily on residents of Virginia's port cities.

• Direct Harm: Particulate matter from ship exhaust is linked to asthma,      emphysema, cancer, and low birth weight in newborns. Exposure to Sulfur Oxides and Nitrous Oxides is also linked to respiratory diseases. Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of toxins in seafood can cause serious health issues if regularly ingested. 

• Ethical Responsibility: It is fundamentally unjust for a multi-billion dollar industry to derive profit from activities that increase premature deaths and hospital admissions in local communities while refusing to pay the marginal difference for cleaner fuel. Furthermore port are frequently in low income areas making accountbility a social justice issue. 

  Unfortunately, much of the shipping industry "externalizes" the true cost of its operations by using low-grade Heavy Fuel Oil  which has highly toxic byproducts impacting  the health of marine life and the residents of port communities. 

• The Subsidy of Silence: When ships burn dirty fuel, the resulting costs—healthcare for respiratory issues, restoration of acidified waters, and loss of biodiversity—are paid for by Virginia taxpayers and local industries rather than the shipping companies. Allowing the industry to externalize costs amounts to the Virginians subsidizing air and water pollution. 

• Incentivizing Innovation: Requiringing shipping companies to pay for clean fuel creates a financial      incentive to invest in pollution free and green technologies like hydrogen or electric propulsion, rather than relying on outdated, high-emission engines.