In Country Z, the government mandates that all commercial maritime vessels utilize low-sulfur marine diesel while operating within 200 nautical miles of the coastline. Environmental monitors detected no measurable decrease in coastal particulate pollution during the first year of enforcement.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the lack of observed pollution reduction?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. Prevalent meteorological winds consistently blow emissions from ships out toward the open ocean, while inland coal-fired power plants drove the measured coastal particulate readings

  1. Step 1: Identify the discrepancy: commercial ships complied with a low-sulfur fuel mandate within 200 nautical miles of the coast, yet coastal particulate sensors showed no decline in pollution.
  2. Step 2: Seek an environmental or atmospheric factor explaining why ship emissions did not register on coastal sensors while other pollution sources dominated the readings.
  3. Step 3: If prevailing winds consistently carried maritime emissions out toward the open sea while inland coal-fired power plants drove coastal sensor readings, the fuel regulation would produce no measurable local reduction.
Answer
Prevalent meteorological winds consistently blow emissions from ships out toward the open ocean, while inland coal-fired power plants drove the measured coastal particulate readings.

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