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On Environmental Protection

Executive Overview

-  The CG has initiated several programs to reduce pollution in U.S. waters through preventative measures and proactive risk assessments.
-  The spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) is a growing national and international problem. Ships increasingyl introduce ANS to U.S. waters through ballast water operations and hull fouling. When established, some ANS can disrupt native ecosystems, thus degrading natural resources and costing billions of dollars due to lost production and control efforts.

Objectives :

• To eliminate environmental damage associated with maritime transportation operations and to reduce the threat to the aquatic environment from the introduction and translocation of ANS by ships and ship operations.

Background :
The implementation of domestic Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-380) regulations following the EXXON VALDEZ grounding in 1989, along with improved international standards and industry efforts, led to a significant decline in cargo oil spills. However, recent oil and hazardous material spill trend analyses shows a need for additional CG efforts in regard to bunker oil, pipelines, facilities, and tank barges. Additionally, recent pollution incidents involving cruise lines and some cargo ships prompted the CG to dedicate resources to monitor this industry's waste procedures.

To address the threat of ANS introductions, the CG has implemented a program of mandatory ballast water exchange for vessels entering the Great Lakes and Hudson River and mandatory ballast water reporting for vessels entering all other U.S. ports. Further, the CG has published voluntary ballast-water management guidelines for all vessels entering U.S. waters that are outside of the Great Lakes Ecosystem. The key elements of the guidelines are: (1) all vessels are asked to conduct a mid-ocean exchange of ballast water before entering these waters from beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone (generally 200 miles), (2) and to practice a suite of additional management precautions to reduce the probability of spreading ANS.

Points :

Pollution prevention/response improvement and risk reduction focuses on continuing to minimize the threat of spills by:

• Modifying prevention and response programs based on a CG-led assessment of potential risk of spills from bunker oil, pipelines, offshore operations and hazardous materials;
• Leading an interagency effort, including cruise lines, focused on pollution prevention measures; and
• Implementing hazardous substance response plan requirements and marine fire-fighting and salvage requirements for tank vessels and shore terminals.

Reducing the threat of ANS in U.S waters will continue through enforcement of current requirements, monitoring of recommended voluntary practices as well as:

• Active support and facilitation of research and development of new technology and management methods to prevent the introduction and spread of ANS;
• Partnership with federal, state, industry and international stakeholders to develop appropriate and uniform solutions to the problem of ANS introductions via ships; and
• Submission to Congress, by January 2002 and regularly thereafter, an assessment of the voluntary guidelines’ effectiveness and recommendations on revising the program to better protect U.S. waters from the introduction of ANS.

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