Great Lakes ballast water treatment bill gets U.S. House’s approval
April 28, 08 by TheFleetIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
See Also: House passes Coast Guard bill despite Bush veto threat - Associated Press
John Myers | Source: Duluth News Tribune
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved legislation requiring all saltwater ships entering U.S. ports to treat their ballast water by 2016.
The measure, part of a broader bill covering the U.S. Coast Guard’s mission and funding, is the strongest ballast water measure ever approved aimed at reducing the flood of exotic aquatic species arriving from foreign waters.
The bill, HR 2830, passed 395-7 and sets tough standards for the number and size of living organisms that ships can release when they release ballast water, requiring treatment technology be installed on new ships starting in 2009 and on all ships by 2016.
…The new ballast regulation has support from both the Great Lakes shipping industry and several environmental groups.
Read the full story at the Duluth News Tribune >>
