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.
<html><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><head><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><style><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->table, td, tr {<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> border: 3px solid #008000;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->}<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->th {<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> background-color: #008000;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> color: white;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->}<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->td {<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->background-color: #daf1da;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->}<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->h2 {<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> text-align: center;<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->}<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></style><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></head><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><body><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><table><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <tr><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <th><h2>Related Links</h2></th><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> </tr><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <tr><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <td><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <ul><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <li><a href="https://www.northwestenvironmentaladvocates.org/newblog/project/rules-policies-clean-water-act/">Rules and Policies for the Clean Water Act</a></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <li><a href=https://www.northwestenvironmentaladvocates.org/newblog/issues/species/ballast-water-discharges-of-invasive-species/">Ship Discharges of Invasive Species</a></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!--/* <li><a href="https://www.northwestenvironmentaladvocates.org/newblog/places/washington/washingtons-failure-control-polluted-runoff-nonpoint-sources/">Washington Polluted Runoff</a></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> '<li><a href="https://www.northwestenvironmentaladvocates.org/newblog/issues/water/nutrients-algae-oxygen/">Nutrients, Algae, and Oxygen</a></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->' <li><a href="https://www.northwestenvironmentaladvocates.org/newblog/places/washington/washingtons-water-pollution-clean-plans/">Washington Water Pollution Clean-Up Plans</a></li> *---!><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></ul><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></td><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> </tr><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <th><h2>Related Documents</h2></th><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <tr><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <td><a href="#related documents">Click Here</a></td><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> </tr><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <th><h2>Related Posts</h2></th><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <tr><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --> <td>
- 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
| States Brief | September 6, 2005 | Brief ... | Download |
| Ballast Water District Court Order New Release | March 31, 2005 | News Release - District Court Order on Ballast Water ... | Download |
| NWEA v. EPA (Ballast Water II) Order Granting NWEA Motion for Summary Judgement | March 30, 2005 | order ... | Download |
| NWEA Petition to EPA to Regulate Ballast Water Discharges | January 19, 1999 | Petition ... | Download |
| Petition to EPA to Repeal 40 C.F.R. ' 122.3(a) from NWEA et al. | January 13, 1999 | petition ... | Download |