Tag: VGP

Final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System VGP On March 30, 2005, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (in Northwest Environmental Advocates et al. v. EPA) ruled that the EPA regulation excluding discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel from NPDES permitting exceeded the Agency's authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA). On July 23, 2008, the Ninth Circuit upheld the decision. In response to this Court order, EPA developed the Vessel General Permit to regulate discharges from vessels. EPA signed the VGP on December 18, 2008, with an effective date of February 6, 2009. The VGP currently being finalized will replace the 2008 VGP when it expires on December 19, 2013.Summary of the Final 2013 VGP The 2013 final VGP will continue to regulate 26 specific discharge categories that were contained in the 2008 VGP, and would provide coverage for fish hold effluent in the event that a permitting moratorium currently in effect expires in December 2014. For the first time, the final VGP contains numeric ballast water discharge limits for most vessels. The permit generally aligns with requirements contained within the 2012 U.S. Coast Guard ballast water rulemaking. Additionally, the VGP contains requirements ...

INTERTANKO, as part of an industry coalition, has sent a letter to the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water requesting a change to the draft 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP) ballast water treatment implementation schedule for newly built ships to be consistent with the US Coast Guard final rule schedule.The letter emphasises that is important to provide industry with a single, achievable US federal schedule for the installation of type-approved treatment technologies on ships calling at US ports.To view a copy of the letter click hereSource: INTERTANKO

E-learning Tools The American P&I Club issues circular regarding NewModule On Compliance With The US Environmental Protection Agency S VGP Requirement for US as follows:Your Managers are pleased to report the release of a new e-learning module, entitled Vessel General Permit, to assist Members in complying with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Vessel General Permit (VGP) environmental discharge requirements for vessels trading to the United States.The 2008 VGP concerns discharges which are incidental to the normal operation of vessels engaged in transportation. The VGP includes general effluent limits applicable to all discharges; general effluent limits applicable to 26 specific discharge streams; narrative water-quality based effluent limits;inspection, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements; and additional requirements applicable to certain vessel types.The current requirements of the 2008 VGP are valid through December 18, 2013. All owner-Members of the American Club have access to all the Club's e-learning training programs via the website https://secure.idessonline.com/americanclub/facility/, free of charge. Members who have not registered are encouraged to do so at the earliest opportunity to take advantage of allthe e-learning tools available.Other modules currently available to Members are:Stranger on the Bridge - 3 case studies on bridge resource management with the pilot onboard;Clean Seas: Complying with ...

E-learning Tools The American P&I Club has released a new e-learning module, Vessel General Permit (VGP), to enable members to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's discharge requirements for all vessels trading to the U.S.The 2008 VGP concerns discharges which are incidental to the normal operation of vessels engaged in transportation. It includes general effluent limits applicable to all discharges; general effluent limits applicable to 26 specific discharge streams; narrative water-quality based effluent limits; inspection, monitoring, record-keeping and reporting requirements; and additional requirements applicable to certain vessel types.The current requirements of the 2008 VGP are valid until December 18, 2013. The EPA is currently considering comments on two proposed VGPs, and intends to finalize the draft VGP and draft Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP) by November this year, thus allowing time for an orderly phase-in of the new requirements from December 19, 2013.All shipowner-members of the American Club have access to all the club's e-learning training programs via the club'swebsite. Other modules available to members are:Stranger on the Bridge (Bridge resource management with the pilot on board)Clean Seas: Complying with MARPOL 73/78The Case of the Silent Assassin (Dangers associated with entry into enclosed shipboard spaces).All the club modules are ...

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 ...

For January 19, 2012 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a notice stating that it has scheduled a webcast on the draft 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP) and Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP) for January 19, 2012 from 1-3pm (EST).During this webcast, the EPA will present the proposed requirements of the 2013 draft VGP and sVGP, receive public comments, and answer questions about the proposed permits.To register for this webcast, please click here.For more information on the draft permits and to view other opportunities for public comment, please click here.Source: EPA

EPA has recently redrafted VGP for public review and comment The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently redrafted the Vessel General Permit (VGP) for public review and comment. The new VGP will replace the existing 2008 VGP when the latter expires on 19 December 2013.The proposed changes include the following:The addition of fish hold effluent to the 26 vessel discharges covered by the present permitNumeric ballast water discharge limits for most vesselsMore stringent effluent limits for oil to sea interfaces and for exhaust gas scrubber wash waterThe authorisation of electronic record keepingA single annual report in place of the one time report and the annual non-compliance reportIn addition, a Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP) is proposed covering non-recreational vessels of less than 79 feet in length and commercial fishing vessels. This would be introduced after the present moratorium on incidental discharges for such vessels, with the exception of ballast water, expires on 18 December 2013.As small vessel operations differ considerably from those of larger vessels, the proposed sVGP is simpler in its scope and application, covering pollutants that may arise from nine discharge management categories. The permit would also provide for more simplified inspections and reporting than is ...

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 ...

For each vessel ,operator is required to submit a report between 30 and 36 months The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Notice advising that the Vessel General Permit (VGP) One Time Report Electronic System is now available.For each vessel covered by the VGP program, the owner/operator is required to submit a one time report between 30 and 36 months after obtaining a permit for discharges incidental to the normal operation of the vessel.The EPA requires submittal of the one time report in order to be assured that owners/operators are complying with the permit, to learn how they are implementing the program, and to gain a better understanding of the universe of permittees.For those vessels that obtained coverage on or before September 19, 2009, the one time report is due by February 6, 2012Source: EPA

For each covered vessel between 30 and 36 months 800x600 Normal 0 false false false EL X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Section 4.4.4 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Vessel General Permit (VGP) requires permit holders to submit a one-time report for each covered vessel between 30 and 36 months after coverage by the VGP.For vessels applying for coverage at the 18 December 2011 implementation date of the first VGP, this means that this report is due anytime between 18 June 2011 and 18 December 2011.In order to facilitate submission of this report, the EPA is developing an electronic system which should significantly reduce the time necessary for preparation and submission of the report.Due to "minor complications" in the development of this new system capability, which will likely delay its availability beyond the 18 June 2011 date, permit holders are urged to wait until this electronic reporting capability is available.The status of this system can be monitored at http://www.epa.gov/npdes/vessels as well as its online availability when finalised. Source: Chamber of Shipping of America