WASHINGTON, DC, Oct. 28, 2011 -- The Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WWEMA) has sent a letter requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) instruct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to immediately submit for review and final action the U.S. Coast Guard final rule on ballast water standards.
"This final rule [Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters] has remained in limbo at DHS for several months now even though it has undergone significant scientific review and there are no outstanding issues remaining to be resolved," said WWEMA President Dawn Kristof Champney.
"In the absence of national standards governing the discharge of ballast water, a primary source of aquatic invasive species, the states are forced to develop their own standards resulting in a patchwork of unachievable rules given the fact that vessels operate in different ports throughout the U.S.," she noted. "The end result is nothing is being done to address this pervasive assault on our nation's waterways."
Champney went on to state that in the absence of U.S. leadership on this matter, the International Maritime Organization is moving forward with its own standards that conflict with those of the states, setting up a "perfect storm" whereby vessels from other countries will be unable to conduct business in the U.S., "a situation that could potentially cripple commerce."
About WWEMA
Since 1908, WWEMA has informed, educated and provided leadership on the issues that shape the future of the water and wastewater industry. Its member companies supply the most sophisticated leading products and technology, offering solutions to every water-related environmental problem and need facing today's society.
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