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Ballast legislation passes House as part of
Coast Guard bill
Environmental
groups push for strong support in Senate WASHINGTON
DC (April 24) – The U.S. House of Representatives made
a huge step in protecting our waters from aquatic invaders today by passing
legislation that ensures no living species will be discharged from ballast
water tanks of ocean-going vessels. The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008
(H.R. 2830) passed by a vote of 395 to 7. The legislation is Title
V of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008 (H.R. 2830) and requires
installation of technology meeting current International Maritime Organization
ballast discharge standards by as early as next year. Ships would then be
required to begin installing treatment equipment in 2012 to meet a more
rigorous standard that is one hundred times more stringent than the
international standard. “These standards
and timeline are both aggressive and achievable, and this is exactly the type
of strong legislation the environmental community has championed for
years,” said Corry Westbrook, legislative director for the National
Wildlife Federation. Citing the lack of
clarification on how the ballast water title applies to recreational vessels
among its concerns, the Bush administration has threatened to veto the
bill. The administration’s main objection however, was not in Title V,
but particular to Coast Guard requirements to protect liquefied natural gas
terminals and vessels. “The
House has already promised to address the White House’s concerns
regarding recreational boaters separately,” said Phyllis Windle, senior
scientist and director of invasive species for the Union of Concerned
Scientists. “This strong demonstration of support in the House bodes well
for withstanding the threat of a potential veto.” The National
Environmental Coalition of Invasive Species has said that its endorsing groups
will continue to push for strong support in the Senate to further strengthen
ballast water legislation. “We hope this
decisive action in the House sends the right signals to the Senate that this is
a bill deserving quick action and passage before the elections consume our
attention,” said Mike Daulton, director of conservation policy for the
National Audubon Society. Strong bipartisan support
for the legislation followed the adoption of two essential amendments. The
first, a manager’s amendment, improves transparency by requiring that
regulated ships submit records of their actions to the Secretary of
Transportation on a monthly basis, and ensures that ships claiming no ballast
water on board are subject to treatment requirements when the bill comes into
effect. A second amendment by
Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) gives the Coast Guard the authority to take emergency
response measures if vessels operating exclusively within the “The H.R. 2830 also includes
several key provisions championed by the National Environmental Coalition on Invasive
Species in recent months, including an enhanced role for the Environmental
Protection Agency to review and improve discharge standards, the addition of a
provision allowing for citizens to petition the government, and the closure of
a loophole that could have resulted in long-term delays in implementing onboard
treatment. Additionally, the bill allows states to retain their ability to
complement and strengthen the federal program. The National
Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species endorsing organizations include the
National Wildlife Federation, Union of Concerned Scientists, Great Lakes
United, National Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Areas
Association, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, and The Nature Conservancy. Contact:
Corry Westbrook, National Wildlife Federation, 202-797-6840, westbrook@nwf.org
Phyllis Windle, Union of Concerned Scientists, 202-331-5440, pwindle@ucsusa.org
Jennifer Nalbone, Great Lakes United, 716-213-0408, jen@glu.org Mike
Daulton, National Audubon Society, 202-861-2242, mdaulton@audubon.org |