EPA finalizes Vessel General Permit, protects water quality and reduces invasive species risk
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 ...
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