Carriers urge consistent ballast water regulation
September 19, 08 by TheFleetIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
R.G. Edmonson | Source: Journal of Commerce Online
WASHINGTON — A stalemate in the Senate over the regulation of ships’ ballast water has led a coalition of carriers to urge lawmakers to make sure any ballast water standards are consistent throughout the United States.
The letter expresses concern that under the Clean Water Act, states are encouraged to regulate pollution sources within their boundaries. Ships that call at ports in many states could face “a patchwork of overlapping, inconsistent federal and state requirements.”
…Carriers are pessimistic that senators can reach an agreement in time to stop a court-ordered EPA general permit system under the Clean Water Act on Oct. 15.
In addition to World Shipping, the letter was sent by the Chamber of Shipping of America, American Waterways Operators, and Intertanko, the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners based in Oslo.
Read the full story, parts of the letter at the Journal of Commerce Online >>
