International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4341
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Environmental Protection
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-01: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-21T06:47:50Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act of 2025 aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution from international maritime shipping by imposing fees on vessel operators and importers based on emissions. It directs collected fees toward funding programs to modernize U.S. shipping fleets, develop cleaner technologies, improve workforce training, and enhance environmental monitoring in port areas. The act addresses the shipping industry's contribution to global carbon dioxide emissions (about 3% of total human-caused emissions) and local air quality issues near ports.
Key Provisions
- Findings and Scope: Recognizes rapid growth in shipping-related GHG emissions and health impacts from port pollution on nearby communities. Applies to "covered voyages" – international trips by self-propelled cargo vessels of 5,000 gross tons or more bound primarily for the U.S., excluding military aid shipments, Outer Continental Shelf voyages under the Clean Air Act, and U.S. domestic (Jones Act) vessels.
- Reporting Requirements: Starting January 1, 2027, vessel operators must submit detailed quarterly reports to the EPA Administrator on voyage details, including distances traveled, fuel consumption by type and mass, cargo amounts, port calls, time in U.S. waters, and emissions-related data. Importers of cargo offloaded abroad but destined for the U.S. must also report similar information.
- Fee on Lifecycle Carbon Dioxide-Equivalent (CO2-e) Emissions (Section 5):
- EPA must develop emissions profiles for maritime fuels by January 1, 2027.
- Fees assessed at $150 per metric ton of CO2-e emissions from fuel burned during covered voyages, calculated from reported data.
- Adjustments: Annual increases for inflation plus 5%; tripled for polar regions (north of 60°N or south of 60°S); reductions for fees paid under international agreements like Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention or equivalent foreign pollution fees (up to 50% credit).
- Alternate fee for importers: Prorated share based on U.S.-bound cargo mass, payable before import; offsets operator fees if applicable.
- Penalties: 20% increase for late payment, escalating by 20% every 30 days.
- Sunset: Ends if a global fee by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) or UN agency matches or exceeds U.S. levels.
- Fees on Criteria Air Pollutants (Section 6):
- EPA must develop emissions profiles for nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from maritime fuels by January 1, 2027. (Criteria air pollutants are common pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act for health and environmental protection.)
- Fees apply only to fuel burned in U.S. exclusive economic zone, territorial sea (up to 12 nautical miles offshore), and internal waters: $6.30 per pound of NOx, $18 per pound of SO2, $38.90 per pound of PM2.5.
- Annual inflation adjustments plus 5%; same payment deadlines and penalties as CO2-e fees.
- Use of Fee Revenues (Section 7): Starting fiscal year 2029, 100% of collected fees fund programs (percentages of prior-year collections):
- 25%: Maritime Administration grants/loans to replace/retrofit Jones Act (U.S. domestic) vessels with zero-emission tech (e.g., batteries, low-carbon fuels – fuels with 90%+ lower lifecycle emissions than marine fuel oil).
- 25%: Department of Energy grants for R&D on low-carbon fuels and low-emission tech (e.g., production, storage, demonstration).
- 5%: EPA grants for workforce training on zero-emission port equipment and low-carbon vessels, including at maritime academies.
- 10%: EPA grants/loans for electrifying harbor craft (non-ferry work vessels).
- 10%: EPA grants/loans for electrifying ferries and crew vessels.
- 5%: EPA grants for air quality monitoring at port boundaries and nearby communities (fenceline monitoring – sensors along facility edges).
- 15%: EPA Clean Ports Program (under Clean Air Act) for reducing port emissions.
- 3%: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Oceans and Coastal Security Fund.
- 2%: Marine Debris Foundation for cleanup efforts.
- Up to 1% per program for administration; priorities emphasize emission reductions, health benefits, job creation, and aid to polluted areas (e.g., nonattainment zones under Clean Air Act standards).
- Eligibility and Oversight: Programs prioritize high-impact projects in poor air quality areas; require applications with certifications; include clawback provisions for misuse of funds. Modeled after existing EPA diesel reduction grants.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces novel U.S.-specific fees on international maritime emissions, absent in current law, which relies on voluntary IMO guidelines or port-specific rules.
- Expands Clean Air Act indirectly by funding related programs and adding reporting/enforcement for emissions in U.S. waters.
- Creates dedicated revenue streams for maritime decarbonization, unlike general environmental funds; recognizes and credits international/foreign fees to avoid double taxation.
- Exempts Jones Act vessels from fees but funds their upgrades, potentially shifting domestic shipping toward zero emissions without new mandates.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases workload for EPA (reporting, fee assessment, multiple grant programs); allocates new funding to Maritime Administration, Department of Energy, NOAA, and Commerce without additional appropriations. Could streamline international compliance via credits.
- Citizens: Improves air quality and health in port-adjacent neighborhoods (e.g., reduced asthma risks from pollutants); creates jobs in green tech/training; raises import costs, potentially increasing consumer prices for goods.
- International Relations: May encourage global standards by sunsetting upon IMO adoption; credits foreign fees promote fairness in trade; could strain relations with shipping nations if seen as a trade barrier, but aligns with UN climate goals.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Shipping Operators and Importers: Bear reporting and fee burdens; eligible for R&D and electrification grants.
- Vessel and Port Owners: Jones Act owners benefit from modernization funds; ports gain from electrification, monitoring, and Clean Ports Program.
- Port Communities and Workers: Gain health benefits from reduced pollution; workforce programs support training for clean tech jobs.
- Environmental and Research Groups: Access grants for monitoring, R&D, and debris cleanup.
- Governments: State/local/Tribal entities and agencies eligible for grants; federal agencies manage expanded roles.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Relies on EPA's authority under environmental statutes; enforcement ties fees to import clearance, potentially invoking customs law (Tariff Act). Penalties and clawbacks ensure compliance but may face challenges in international waters jurisdiction.
- Constitutional: Fees on foreign voyages could raise Commerce Clause questions (regulating interstate/international trade), though credits mitigate discrimination claims under trade agreements like WTO.
- Political: Balances environmental goals with industry support via exemptions/funding; may polarize as a "carbon tax" on shipping, but promotes U.S. leadership in global decarbonization without broad tax hikes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-01: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
- 2025-07-10: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-07-10: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-07-10: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-07-10: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-07-10: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-07-10: Introduced in House
- 2025-07-10: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act of 2025 — issued 2025-07-10 — PDF (42 pages)