Virginia is one of the nation’s top producers of oysters and clams. Shells are made of calcium carbonate which dissolves in acid, and acidic waters kill shellfish. The oyster industry in Puget Sound lost millions when the baby oysters (also known as spat) started dying. This video talks about it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7MpI9dZIjk. There has also been a decrease of blue crab in Alaskan waters as acidification kill crab embryos.  So where does the acid come from and what does it have to do with cruise ships? First off, I am not a pollution expert but here is my understanding. The video talks about climate change as a factor. CO2 from burning fossil fuels is absorbed by our oceans making it more acidic. One study showed that the CO2 from one cruise ship was more than 80,000 cars. And this is not simply because they burn fossil fuels, it is because they choose to burn one of the dirtiest forms of fuel oil because it is cheap. But that is only part of the story. Cruise ships scrub the ship’s exhaust with sea water to remove Sulphur Oxides creating a highly acid wash-water that is dumped back into the water. They do this, instead of burning cleaner fuels, to save money. But none of their profits will pay for the damage done to the seafood industry, and since their ships fly a foreign flag they pay little back in taxes also. Their exhaust scrubbing doesn’t remove the CO2. So, it is a one-two punch to oysters, clams, and other shellfish. The Commonwealth needs to think long term and strategically about protecting our seafood industry – allowing the cruise industry in our waters without regulation is the wrong thing to do. I strongly support the proposed petition.