The department may engage in the following activities relating to commercial passenger vessels operating in the marine waters of the state:
(1) direct in-water monitoring of discharges or releases of sewage, graywater, and other wastewater and direct monitoring of the opacity of air emissions from those vessels;
(2) monitoring and studying of direct or indirect environmental effects of those vessels; and
(3) researching ways to reduce effects of the vessels on marine waters and other coastal resources.