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U.S. Coast Guard releases new ship ballast water discharge standards

Posted 3/19/12

A new standard aimed at reducing aquatic nuisance species from ship ballast water discharge has been released by the U.S. Coast Guard for U.S. waters including the Great Lakes and the Seaway. U.S. …

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U.S. Coast Guard releases new ship ballast water discharge standards

Posted

A new standard aimed at reducing aquatic nuisance species from ship ballast water discharge has been released by the U.S. Coast Guard for U.S. waters including the Great Lakes and the Seaway.

U.S. St. Lawrence Seaway authorities are lining up behind the U.S. Coast Guard's final rule regarding cargo ship ballast in U.S. waters.

The Coast Guard announced Friday publication in the Federal Register of a final rule for standards for living organisms in ships’ ballast water discharge.

A statement from the Coast Guard said it is amending its regulations on ballast water management by establishing a standard for an allowable concentration of living organisms in ballast water discharged from ships in waters of the United States.

The Coast Guard is also amending its regulations for engineering equipment by establishing an approval process for ballast water management systems.

“Once fully implemented, this ballast water discharge standard will significantly reduce the risk of an introduction of aquatic nuisance species into the Great Lakes,” said Rear Adm. Michael N. Parks, commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District based in Cleveland.

The Coast Guard says that he numerical limits set by the discharge standard are supported by reports from the National Academy of Sciences and the EPA Science Advisory Board as the most stringent that vessels can practicably implement and that the Coast Guard can enforce at this time.

The St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, a unit of the U.S. Department of Transportation, issued a statement Monday saying that "the U.S. now has a strong national standard that is consistent with the standards of both the International Maritime Organization and the Government of Canada. The Rule not only provides robust protection for the environment, but also preserves the 227,000 jobs that depend on maritime commerce in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system.

"Even though it has taken many years to get to this point, the USCG is to be commended for staying the course and completing its statutory responsibilities," the statement said.

Vessels entering the Great Lakes will still be required to fully exchange or flush their ballast tanks with seawater until they are equipped with the approved ballast water treatment systems that meet the discharge standard.

All inbound foreign vessels are examined in Montreal by a working group of U.S. and Canadian agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, to ensure the ballast tanks are exchanged or flushed as required.