To provide for the establishment of nationally uniform and environmentally sound standards governing discharges incidental to the normal operation of a commercial vessel.
Actions Overview (1)
Date
02/16/2017
Introduced in House
02/16/2017 Introduced in House
All Actions (4)
Date
02/17/2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. Action By: Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
02/17/2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. Action By: Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
02/16/2017
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Action By: House of Representatives
02/16/2017
Introduced in House Action By: House of Representatives
02/17/2017 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
02/17/2017 Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
02/16/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Committees, subcommittees and links to reports associated with this bill are listed here, as well as the nature and date of committee activity and Congressional report number.
Committee / Subcommittee
Date
Activity
Reports
House Transportation and Infrastructure
02/16/2017
Referred to
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
02/17/2017
Referred to
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
This bill requires the U.S. Coast Guard to: (1) address the regulation of discharges incidental to the normal operation of a commercial vessel into navigable waters, including ballast water discharges; and (2) preempt applicable state laws and federal regulations issued under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act). Ballast water is water and suspended matter taken on board a commercial vessel to control or maintain trim, draught, stability, or stresses of the commercial vessel.
This bill requires commercial vessels to meet ballast water discharge standards established by the Coast Guard.
By 2022, the Coast Guard must complete an effectiveness review to determine whether revising ballast water discharge standards will result in reducing the risk of introducing or establishing aquatic nuisance species. Further revisions to the standards must be considered every 10 years.
If the standard would result in reducing the risk of introducing or establishing aquatic nuisance species, then the Coast Guard must conduct a practicability review to determine whether: (1) a ballast water management system that is capable of achieving the proposed standard is economically achievable and operationally practicable, and (2) testing protocols can accurately measure compliance. The Coast Guard must revise the standard if it meets practicability criteria.
The Coast Guard must also issue rules establishing: (1) reasonable and practicable standards for reception facilities to mitigate adverse effects of aquatic nuisance species on navigable waters, and (2) best management practices for certain discharges for commercial vessels that are at least 79 feet in length and are not fishing vessels.
All Summaries (1)
Shown Here: Introduced in House (02/16/2017)
Commercial Vessel Incidental Discharge Act
This bill requires the U.S. Coast Guard to: (1) address the regulation of discharges incidental to the normal operation of a commercial vessel into navigable waters, including ballast water discharges; and (2) preempt applicable state laws and federal regulations issued under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act). Ballast water is water and suspended matter taken on board a commercial vessel to control or maintain trim, draught, stability, or stresses of the commercial vessel.
This bill requires commercial vessels to meet ballast water discharge standards established by the Coast Guard.
By 2022, the Coast Guard must complete an effectiveness review to determine whether revising ballast water discharge standards will result in reducing the risk of introducing or establishing aquatic nuisance species. Further revisions to the standards must be considered every 10 years.
If the standard would result in reducing the risk of introducing or establishing aquatic nuisance species, then the Coast Guard must conduct a practicability review to determine whether: (1) a ballast water management system that is capable of achieving the proposed standard is economically achievable and operationally practicable, and (2) testing protocols can accurately measure compliance. The Coast Guard must revise the standard if it meets practicability criteria.
The Coast Guard must also issue rules establishing: (1) reasonable and practicable standards for reception facilities to mitigate adverse effects of aquatic nuisance species on navigable waters, and (2) best management practices for certain discharges for commercial vessels that are at least 79 feet in length and are not fishing vessels.
