The hearing, hosted by the EPA, was held at a hotel in downtown Miami, FL and consisted of an afternoon and an evening session.

Approximately 100 people were in attendance. The EPA made a brief presentation on the EPA's regulations and programs that involve cruise ships, the reasons for the EPA's cruise ship assessment and what the EPA hoped to achieve during the hearing. The U.S. Coast Guard made a brief presentation on its inspection program, while the Florida Department of Environmental Protection presented on its cruise ship hazardous waste program.

Twenty-two people spoke, including three representatives from environmental organizations, six representatives from the cruise industry, 10 people who identified themselves as cruise industry-associated professionals and three former or current government inspectors or criminal investigators with experience dealing with cruise ships. Speakers covered a range of topics, including the cruise industry's environmental stewardship and areas for improvement, as well as compliance and enforcement concerns. Concerns were also voiced related to record-keep practices on board cruise ships and the possibility for illegal activity when relying on voluntary self-auditing and independent auditing programs.

• Public Hearing Transcript (Miami, FL) (PDF)(106 pp, 239 K)
• Public Hearing Presentation (PDF)(19 pp, 147 K)