Ferry Disappointing
by Teri Shore
Posted on 2007-06-29 10:44:33
San Francisco Bay ferry operators falling short on environmental promises
Whether you are superstitious or not, Friday the 13th of July could be an unlucky day for Bay Area skies. It’s on that day that we’ll know whether the next Golden Gate ferry will be clean or if we’ll be getting the last dirty diesel to be built in California.
The Golden Gate Bridge District is planning to build a new $12 million 499-passenger high-speed ferry to add to the fleet and avoid leaving frantic commuters headed for San Francisco behind at the dock in Larkspur during peak times.
The problem is that the ferry is going to be constructed just months before new air pollution laws for marine vessels go into effect in 2009. So, by law, the vessel need not comply. But because current emissions standards for marine engines lag far behind those for diesel buses and trucks, taking a ferry produces 10 to 100 times more pollution per passenger per trip. Even driving solo in your car is less polluting.
Nevertheless, ferry managers at the bridge district have refused to commit to installing any air pollution controls and deride as “speculative” and “too expensive” the technologies that are now being installed on the new San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority (WTA) diesel ferries. These vessels are being built 10 times cleaner than today’s commute boats and are the model for new emissions regulations. They will be equipped with technology that will slash deadly diesel exhaust by 85 percent. In fact, the keel for the first boat is being laid on July 2 in Seattle, WA.
While cleaner engines and air pollution controls do cost more than the outdated technology, the Bridge District staff doesn’t seem to realize that for every $1 invested in diesel emissions reductions, about $10 in public health benefits are achieved. Ferry vessels also tend to operate for 20 to 30 years or more, leaving a long legacy of pollution if not cleaned up.
However, Golden Gate Ferry is not the only operator who seems to be sinking into obsolete thinking instead of embracing advanced technology.
While the WTA is the national leader in cleaning up trusty diesel engines, it has abandoned plans to build a demonstration fuel cell ferry. Instead it wants to use the $2.5 million earmark granted through Speaker Pelosi’s office in 2002 to help build two more diesel boats. As a token, WTA plans to install a small fuel cell assembly to run the lights and refrigeration on one. That’s like putting a fuel cell on an SUV to run the DVD system. For $2.5 million?
Then over at Alcatraz Island, the ferry operator is months behind on installing air pollution controls and building the new hybrid solar-and-wind powered vessel that helped win the 10-year contract with the National Park Service. The sleek high-tech vessel with the solar wing promised to the National Park Service may end up being a utilitarian double-ender not designed for capturing the sun or wind.
But this “ferry disappointing” story could still have a fairytale ending. On Friday, July 13, bridge district directors could be convinced to support a resolution from Director Gerardo Sandoval that would require that the new ferry be built to the strict air pollution standards. The meeting is open to the public.
The fuel-cell boat could still be saved if Speaker Pelosi directs the WTA to use the $2.5 million as originally intended. Perhaps as a pilot, it could be tested as a water taxi at the new Ft. Baker retreat center.
As for Alcatraz, time will tell whether the National Park Service will hold the ferry operator’s feet to the fire to live up to environmental commitments or slide by until a new administration takes over in Washington D.C.
Teri Shore is a North Bay environmental journalist.
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