Pollution
EPA Considers How to Develop Vessel Discharge Permit Program
Washington, D.C., June 20, 2007 -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking information as it considers how to develop a water permit program for pollutant discharges incidental to the normal operation of commercial vessels and recreational boats. Discharges may include ballast water, bilge water, deck runoff and gray water.
As a result of a court ruling currently under appeal, vessel owners or operators whose discharges previously have been exempt from Clean Water Act requirements will require a permit on Sept. 30, 2008. In developing this program, EPA will seek to ensure that control technologies or management practices enhance environmental protection and are practical to implement.
Approximately 143,000 commercial vessels and potentially more than 13 million state-registered recreational boats and more than 25 different types of vessel discharges could be affected. The exemption from permitting requirements has been in place for more than 30 years.
The changes are the result of a recent U.S. district court ruling that found EPA exceeded its authority by excluding discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel from existing permitting requirements. The agency is appealing that ruling.
Greek Shipping Company, Crew Member Indicted for Vessel Pollution
WASHINGTON, March 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Greek-based shipping company Kassian Maritime Navigation Agency Ltd. and a crew member of the M/V North Princess, an ocean-going bulk cargo ship traveling to ports in the United States, were charged in a three-count indictment related to the operations of the ship, the Justice Department announced today.
Kassian Maritime is charged with illegal dumping of bilge and waste water in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), making false statements to U.S. Coast Guard inspectors, and obstruction of justice in relation to the Coast Guard's inspection of the North Princess. The ship's Second Engineer, Spyridon Markou, is also charged with obstruction of justice with regard to the ship's inspection.
Engine room operations on board large oceangoing vessels such as the North Princess generate large amounts of waste oil. U.S. law requires that all overboard discharges of waste oil be recorded in an oil record book, a required log which is regularly inspected by the Coast Guard.
