EPA Has Been a Lax Regulator of Ballast Water Discharges
Despite the sky-is-falling concerns of the shipping industry, EPA has not used the Clean Water Act to control ballast water discharges of invasive species. Its first Vessel General Permit (VGP) was issued in 2008 and did little more than require ships to follow the treatment standards set out in the as-then-unratified International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) treaty. These IMO requirements are weak, do not reflect the best treatment technology that currently exists, and are not adequate to protect US waters from invasive species. NWEA challenged the VGP in 2009 and in a settlement EPA agreed to seek the advice of two expert panels of scientists. EPA issued a second VGP in 2013, which NWEA again challenged. In 2015, NWEA won a precedent-setting decision in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals that EPA had violated numerous aspects of the CWA in issuing its lax permit.
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- Court Rules Ship Discharge Permit Illegal
- Ballast Water Appeal Goes to NY
- NWEA Continues Fight on Invasive Species
- Challenge to EPA Ballast Water Permit Filed
- EPA Again Fails to Control Invasive Species from Ship Discharges
- Shipping Industry Loses Legal Challenge to Ballast Water Discharge Permit
- NWEA Files Brief Supporting EPA Ballast Water Permit
- NWEA Settles Ballast Water Lawsuit with EPA
Related Documents
| Ballast Water: Appeals Court Rules in favor of NWEA | October 5, 2015 | news release ... | Download |
| Ballast Water: VGP II Reply Brief | August 1, 2014 | Legal Brief ... | Download |
| VIDA 2015 letter | May 26, 2014 | letter ... | Download |
| Petition for review of Final Action of EPA | February 6, 2014 | Brief ... | Download |
| Petition for Review Vessel General Discharge Permit | May 3, 2013 | Petition for Review ... | Download |
| NAS Report - Ballast Water | September 15, 2011 | Paper ... | Download |
| Lake Carriers Decision DC Circuit | July 22, 2011 | Federal Appeal Court Decision ... | Download |
| EPA Science Advisory Board Letter to EPA Administrator | July 12, 2011 | Letter ... | Download |
| State of California Comments to EPA on invasive Species | June 9, 2011 | Letter ... | Download |
| Ballast Water Settlement Final | March 8, 2011 | Final Ballast Water Settlement March 3, 2011 ... | Download |