Tag: invasive speeches

Standards for Living Organisms in Ships Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters

DEC Will Work with Other States and Stakeholders to Advocate a Strong National Standard New York will pursue a uniform, national ballast water standard that will leave in place the EPA's current standards in New York for the remainder of EPA's current Vessel General Permit through December 2013."New York remains concerned about the introduction and spread of invasive species in the state's waterways and we hope that a strong national solution can be achieved," DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. "At the same time, shipping and maritime activity is critical to New York state and international commerce. A technically feasible national standard which recognizes the critical economic role played by our waterways is the only viable way to address the spread of destructive aquatic invaders through ballast water."EPA's recent proposal for the next four-year term, December 2013 through December 2017, for its Vessel General Permit includes adopting a protocol that was set forth by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2004. DEC submitted comments on EPA's proposed standards for 2013-2017. To view DEC's comments, visit: http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/water_pdf/ballastltr022112.pdfMartens continued, "The EPA proposal can be strengthened to better protect against the harms associated with aquatic invasive species and take advantage of numerous recent, cost-effective ...

The new standards require vessels to install technology The Environmental Protection Agency proposed stricter requirements Wednesday for cleaning ballast water that keeps ships upright in rolling seas but enables invasive species to reach U.S. waters, where they have ravaged ecosystems and caused billions of dollars in economic losses.The new standards would require commercial vessels to install technology strong enough to kill at least some of the fish, mussels and even microorganisms such as viruses that lurk in ballast water before it's dumped into harbors after ships arrive in port. Environmentalists whose lawsuits forced the EPA to implement rules in the first place said the new proposal is largely inadequate.More than 180 exotic species have invaded the Great Lakes, about two-thirds of which are believed to have been carried in ballast water. Among them are zebra and quagga mussels, which have spread across most of the lakes and turned up as far away as California. Ballast water also has brought invaders to ocean coasts, including Asian clams in San Francisco Bay and Japanese shore crabs on the Atlantic seaboard.Ballast water regulation has been debated in Congress for years but no legislation has passed because of disagreements over how strict the cleanliness ...

Action would help protect U.S. water quality and lower invasive species risk The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued two draft vessel general permits that would regulate discharges from commercial vessels, excluding military and recreational vessels. The proposed permits would help protect the nation's waters from ship-borne pollutants and reduce the risk of introduction of invasive species from ballast water discharges.The draft Vessel General Permit, which covers commercial vessels greater than 79 feet in length, would replace the current 2008 Vessel General Permit, when it expires in December 2013. Under the Clean Water Act, permits are issued for a five-year period after which time EPA generally issues revised permits based on updated information and requirements. The new draft Small Vessel General Permit would cover vessels smaller than 79 feet in length and would provide such vessels with the Clean Water Act permit coverage they will be required to have as of December 2013.Both permits will be subject to a 75-day public comment period, which will allow a broad array of stakeholders, including industry and communities, to provide feedback. That information will help inform EPA's decision on the final permits, which are expected to go into effect in 2013. EPA intends ...

IMO-BBC Documentary The award winning IMO-BBC documentary film Invaders from the Sea, which address the core of the invasive species in ships' ballast water problem is now available from IMO's Publications Section. This documentary won the gold award in the category of "Best United Nations Feature" at the 2007's "Stories from the Field", the third annual United Nations Documentary Film Festival, which took place in New York. The film was produced by IMO, the United Nations agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships, in co-operation with the BBC and the shipping industry.