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JUNEAU - A Holland America cruise ship violated its wastewater discharge permit in May, June and July, according to state regulators.

This is the first year cruise ships have been regulated under the permit, which voters in 2006 mandated the state Department of Environmental Conservation to issue.

Cruise lines, including Holland, told the state they wouldn't be able to meet permit limits on ammonia, zinc, copper and nitrogen in the wastewater, and DEC issued interim limits for this year for those pollutants.

Wastewater samples from the 1,848-passenger Westerdam had higher-than-permitted ammonia, zinc and biological oxygen demand. The latter indicates the amount of organic waste in the water.

Holland America is owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp. & PLC.

The state cruise ship program is expected to release more enforcement cases next week.