(AGENPARL) – mar 24 settembre 2024 Issued: Sep 24, 2024 (10:40am EDT)
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EPA Issues National Requirements to Protect U.S. Waterways from Pollutants
Discharged by Vessels
WASHINGTON – Today, September 24, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
announced the finalization of national discharge standards to control the
release of pollutants and invasive species from approximately 85,000 vessels
operating in U.S. waters.
These standards, issued through EPA’s Vessel Incidental Discharge National
Standards of Performance final rule, address discharges that occur with
normal operation of large vessels. EPA’s final rule will help address
harmful pollutants, including bacteria, pathogens, oil, grease, and metals
while reducing the spread of invasive species that can damage ecosystems and
infrastructure. 
“Clean water and healthy aquatic ecosystems provide multiple benefits to
nearby communities. They support commerce and commercial fishing, they serve
as sources of drinking water, and they connect people to nature,” said EPA
Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “EPA’s
final rule will help protect our vital waterways while reducing the spread of
invasive species, like zebra mussels. The agency’s final rule also delivers
on Congress’ direction to establish nationwide requirements that replace the
current patchwork of federal, state and local requirements.”
EPA’s Vessel Incidental Discharge National Standards of Performance final
rule applies primarily to non-recreational, non-Armed Forces vessels 79 feet
or longer (such as commercial, research and emergency rescue vessels) and
ballast water from fishing vessels and non-recreational, non-Armed Forces
vessels less than 79 feet long.
Discharges can happen during normal operation of these vessels while operating
equipment and systems onboard, such as oil from machinery and wastewater from
showers and sinks. Through best management practices and treatment standards,
the EPA’s final rule addresses 20 discharges and their associated
pollutants.
For example, the final rule requires “Lakers” – large vessels operating
in the Great Lakes – that are constructed in the future, to operate ballast
water management systems. This new federal requirement addresses known
ballast-water management challenges aboard Lakers and will help reduce the
spread of invasive species throughout the Great Lakes.
EPA’s new standards will not be implemented for up to two years while the
U.S. Coast Guard develops and issues corresponding regulations. Until the U.S.
Coast Guard regulations are final, effective and enforceable, vessels continue
to be subject to the existing discharge requirements established in the
EPA’s 2013 Vessel General Permit (pdf) and the U.S. Coast Guard’s
ballast water regulations, as well as any other applicable state and local
government requirements.
For more information, see EPA’s Commercial Vessel Discharge
Standards website.
Background
Congress passed the 2018 Vessel Incidental Discharge Act to harmonize the
patchwork of U.S. Coast Guard, EPA and state vessel incidental discharge
permits and regulations. On October 26, 2020, EPA published a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (85 FR 67818) in the Federal Register to solicit public
input on the proposed standards of performance. On October 18, 2023, EPA also
published a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (88 FR 71788) for
public comment that shared new ballast water information that EPA received
from the U.S. Coast Guard and discussed additional regulatory options for
ballast tanks, hulls and associated niche areas and graywater systems that the
EPA was considering for the final rule.
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