# Michigans First Ballast Water Permits Issued



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2007

Contact: Robert McCann (517) 241-7397

Michigans First Ballast Water Permits Issued

The Department of Environmental Quality announced today the first ten Ballast Water Control General Permits have been issued to an international shipping company in accordance with Michigans new ballast water control law. The law, which went into effect January 1, is designed to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the Great Lakes. 

NaviBulgar-Smolyan, a Bulgarian shipping company, has received DEQ authorization to engage in port operations in Michigan when the St. Lawrence Seaway opens next month. 

This marks a milestone in our efforts to protect the health of the Great Lakes and demonstrates the ability for all shipping companies using Michigans ports to obtain these important environmental permits in a timely manner, said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. Any user of the Great Lakes must share in the responsibility to ensure our waters are clear of invasive species and safe for future generations to enjoy.

Under the new law, oceangoing ships must obtain a permit from the DEQ in order to use Michigan ports. Permits are issued only if the applicant demonstrates that they will either not discharge ballast water or will use one of four approved environmentally sound technologies and methods to prevent the discharge of aquatic invasive species. 

NaviBulgar applied for permit coverage for its vessels to conduct port operations without discharging ballast water; however, the company is evaluating several ballast water treatment methods for future implementation. 

Vessels often take in thousands of gallons of ballast water to stabilize the ship when traveling without cargo. The ballast water is then released in port as new cargo is loaded, potentially releasing millions of live organisms into the Great Lakes. Often these invasive species have no natural predators in their new environment and can crowd out native species, cause environmental damage, or transport foreign disease or parasites. 

Invasive species cost literally billions of dollars to control once they are introduced to the Great Lakes ecosystem, and too often, trying to control them is a losing battle, said Michigan Office of the Great Lakes Director Ken DeBeaussaert. We encourage our fellow Great Lakes states to follow Michigans example and put to end the introduction of invasive species from ballast water.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Michigan United Conservation Clubs: 
The First Voice for Michigan's Great Out-of-Doors
Phone: 517-371-1041
Fax: 517-371-1041

Action Alert
Senators Prusi and Richardville open doors to invasive species

March 1, 2007
Today State Senators Michael Prusi (D) and Randy Richardville (R) said its ok for the shipping industry to keep bringing new invasive species into the Great Lakes. By introducing a bill that would roll back the new ballast water permits put in place on January 1, 2007, the Senators have made it clear that the economic benefits of a $4.5 billion dollar sport fishing industry, the $30 million tax payer dollars spent annually controlling invasive species and the future health of the Great Lakes are not important. 

Ten ships have already applied for and received ballast water permits from the DEQ, proving that this process can work if the shipping industry would step to the plate and take responsibility for their discharges. Currently Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana are also looking at implementing a ballast water permit similar to Michigan's. If Michigan backs down now, will other states lose the incentive to implement ballast water controls? Can we afford to let more invasive species and diseases lose in our waters?

Take Action:
Call your Senator today and tell they you don't appreciate them gambling with the fate of the Great Lakes. Tell them NO to rolling back Michigan's ballast water regulations! 

Background:
In less than one generation, aquatic invasive species have radically changed our Great Lakes' ecosystem. Every eight months a new invasive enters our lakes primarily through the discharge of ballast water. Frustrated with the lack of action on the federal level, the 2005 Michigan legislature took the reigns and created the first ballast water permit requirement in the nation. PA 32 and 33 of 2005 prohibit ocean-going vessels from discharging ballast water into Michigan's waters (including the Great Lakes) after January 1, 2007, unless they have a permit issued by the DEQ. This requirement was set after years of study and deliberation. The general permit gives ocean-going vessels the option of installing four commercially available technologies, or choosing to install alternative technologies that have equivalent effectiveness.

Senators:
Jason Allen, District 37, 866-525-5637, [email protected] 
Glenn Anderson, District 6, 517-373-1707, [email protected] 
Jim Barcia, District 31, 866-305-2131, [email protected] 
Raymond Basham, District 8, 517-373-7800, [email protected] 
Patricia Birkholz, District 24, 888-287-2889, [email protected] 
Michael Bishop, District 12, 877-924-7467, [email protected] 
Liz Brater, District 18, 866-305-0318, [email protected] 
Cameron Brown, District 16, 866-305-0316, [email protected] 
Nancy Cassis, District 15, 888-38-NANCY, [email protected] 
Deborah Cherry, District 26, 866-305-2126, [email protected] 
Irma Clark-Coleman, District 3, 866-747-7803, [email protected] 
Hansen Clarke, District 1, 877-252-7537, [email protected] 
Alan Cropsey, District 33, 866-305-2133, [email protected] 
Valde Garcia, District 22, 800-516-0026, [email protected] 
Tom George, District 20, 866-305-2120, [email protected] 
Jud Gilbert, District 25, 877-445-2378, [email protected] 
John Gleason, District 27, 517-373-0142, [email protected] 
Bill Hardiman, District 29, 866-305-2129
Tupac Hunter, District 5, 517-373-0994, [email protected] 
Gilda Jacobs, District 14, 888-937-4453, [email protected] 
Mark Jansen, District 28, 517-373-0797, [email protected] 
Ron Jelinek, District 21, 866-305-2121, [email protected] 
Roger Kahn, District 32, 517-373-1760, [email protected] 
Wayne Kuipers, District 30, 877-KUIPERS, [email protected] 
Michelle McManus, District 35, 866-305-2135, 
Dennis Olshove, District 9, 517-373-8360, [email protected] 
John Pappageorge, District 13, 517-373-2523, [email protected] 
Bruce Patterson, District 7, 866-262-7307, [email protected] 
Michael Prusi, District 38, 866-305-2038, [email protected] 
Randy Richardville, District 17, 517-373-3543, [email protected] 
Alan Sanborn, District 11, 888-353-ALAN, [email protected] 
Mark Schauer, District 19, 888-962-6275, [email protected] 
Martha Scott, District 2, 800-SCOTT-78, [email protected] 
Tony Stamas, District 36, 866-305-2136, [email protected] 
Michael Switalski, 866-303-0110, [email protected] 
Buzz Thomas, District 4, 866-348-6304, [email protected] 
Gerald VanWoerkom, District 34, 866-305-2134, [email protected] 
Gretchen Whitmer, District 23, 517-373-1734, [email protected] 

Michigan United Conservation Clubs is the oldest and largest statewide conservation organization in the nation and has represented the views of millions of hunters, anglers and conservationists since 1937. MUCC has 458 affiliated clubs with over 200,000 members and 53,000 individual members located throughout the state that are all united to promote conservation and the sportsmen's heritage within Michigan. For 70 years, MUCC has successfully worked to accomplish our mission of being The First Voice for Michigan's Great Out-of-Doors .

Erin McDonough
Resource Policy Specialist
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
517-371-1041
[email protected]


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Levin introduces Great Lakes bill Statement on Senate Floor

Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the "Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act" with Senator George Voinovich and our co-sponsors. I also want to thank Representatives Vern Ehlers and Rahm Emanuel for introducing similar Great Lakes restoration legislation in the House today.

http://greatlakesdirectory.org/mi/030907__great_lakes.htm

And

Cleaning up Michigan's water

But the states of California, Oregon, and Washington disagree. They are plagued with ballast water problems with ships coming from Asia. All have enacted tough new water standards, and additionally are suing the EPA, contending it should regulate ballast water the same as a domestic factory. 
Two federal district courts have ruled on behalf of the states, but the cases are now under appeal.

http://greatlakesdirectory.org/oh/030907_great_lakes.htm


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Don't water down state's new, tighter ballast rules

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/OPINION02/703110515/1068/OPINION

March 11, 2007 BY PATTY BIRKHOLZ

More than 30 years ago, the nation hailed passage of the federal Clean Water Act as a new tool to help eliminate water pollution. Each state passed its own version of this law in an effort to partner with the federal government.

Advocates envisioned the states and the federal government working together to end the dumping of contaminants into our waterways.

Good intentions? Yes.

Significant progress toward eliminating the dumping of chemicals into our waters? Yes.

A resounding success? No.

Despite the clear direction in the federal law, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had to be sued by citizen groups to apply the Clean Water Act to the most dangerous form of contamination that our Great Lakes face: "biological pollution" -- namely aquatic nuisance species (ANS).

This is the No. 1 environmental threat facing Michigan and the entire Great Lakes basin. ANS upset native fisheries and habitat, hurt water quality, recreation and tourism industry, and increase costs, not only for municipalities and utilities, but businesses as well.

Invasive species have cost citizens and businesses a staggering $10 billion or more during the past decade. One report estimates that Great Lakes fisheries spend $12 million a year to control sea lamprey, $30 million to control zebra mussels, and $119 million a year because of the ruffe. It costs each individual power company more than $1 million per year to deal with zebra mussels on intake pipes. Transfer those costs down to the average resident, and you can see that we are all paying directly for the EPA's refusal to stop biological pollution.

And the No. 1 one culprit for ANS? Oceangoing vessels that discharge untreated ballast water into our waters.

After years of federal inaction, I sponsored reform legislation in 2005. The bill quickly passed the Legislature and became Public Act 33. This law formed a Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species Coalition of the basin states to regulate ballast water discharge, essentially substituting state action for federal inaction.

As of Jan. 1 this year, the law requires all oceangoing vessels to obtain a permit before entering Michigan ports. For the $150 annual permit, the shippers must agree to clean their ballast water or not to discharge it.

Case closed. Problem solved? No.

Some oceangoing shippers claim that they need more time to get the technology installed to clean their ballast, and they speculate that closing access to our ports may cost Michigan jobs.

This is nonsense. Permits have already been secured by 12 foreign vessels. And if we give others who are being less responsible even more time to comply, every single ship coming into our ports brings with it the chance for real disaster.

We already know the actual costs that federal inaction has brought to our state. With the implementation of Public Act 33, Michigan became the recognized leader in preventing ANS. It makes absolutely no sense to take a giant step backward.

We must continue to protect Michigan's most important natural resource. Time is of the essence. If we fail to act soon, the Great Lakes, and our future, will remain in peril.

PATTY BIRKHOLZ is a Republican state senator from Saugatuck and chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Environmental Resources Committee. Write to her at [email protected].


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

To fight invaders, Michigan fights the EPA

Michigan has joined five nearby states in a California lawsuit that would force the Environmental Protection Agency to shield the Great Lakes and other American waters from continued arrivals of exotic species in the ballast tanks of ocean-going ships.

"They say they have regulations in place; we say that they do not have enough effect," said Peter Manning, environmental division chief for Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox.

It's ironic to see Cox, a Republican, suing the EPA on an environmental issue. The GOP administration of George W. Bush houses the biggest collection of environmental knuckle-draggers ever seen in the White House.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/SPORTS10/705030382/1058


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Contact: Tim Eder
E-mail: [email protected]
Office: 734/971.9135

For immediate release
May 15, 2007

Congress urged to make ballast water rules #1 Great Lakes priority 

INDIANAPOLIS  The Great Lakes states, acting through the Great Lakes Commission, today took action to urge the regions congressional delegation to make effective ballast water legislation its top Great Lakes priority for 2007. 

The states are calling for legislation to reduce and ultimately eliminate the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) from ballast water. 

The time for Congress to act on legislation to protect the Great Lakes is now, said Michigan Lt. Gov. John Cherry, chair of the Great Lakes Commission, at whose 2007 Semiannual Meeting the resolution was adopted today. Many businesses in our states, including boating, tourism and fishing depend on the health of our Great Lakes, which is threatened by discharges of biological pollution from ballast water. 

Ballast water discharges from oceangoing vessels in the Great Lakes are believed to be the source of some of the most problematic invasive species in the Great Lakes, including the zebra mussel, round goby, spiny waterflea and, most recently, the viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus responsible for a number of large fish kills around the Great Lakes. 

A lack of federal standards has motivated the states of Michigan and California to enact their own ballast water regulations in recent years; Wisconsin and other states are considering similar measures. The Great Lakes Commission is asking for federal ballast water treatment regulations that would be applied uniformly across the region. 

The legislation called for by the Commission should have the ultimate goal of zero discharge of viable organisms and have a requirement to meet an environmentally protective standard within five years of enactment. The Commission is also calling for an immediate requirement that ships exempted from current regulations due to no ballast on board status be required to treat residual ballast water by the most effective means available. 

Both the Commission and the Council of Great Lakes Governors have repeatedly urged Congress to adopt legislation to shut the door on all sources of invasive species in recent years. 

Were pleased that Congress is beginning to develop legislation to address ballast water discharges - the most important pathway for invasive species entering the lakes, said Tim Eder, Executive Director of the Commission. The resolution represents the unified voice of the Great Lakes states, Ontario and Quebec and our recommendations for what that legislation should contain. 

The Great Lakes Commission also urges that the United States work with the Canadian government and its agencies to address the problem of AIS in the Great Lakes. The Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec have associate member status on the Commission. 

The Great Lakes Commission has a long history of working to address the AIS problem, including its role of providing secretariat services for the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species. More recently, it convened a special advisory panel of state officials, maritime industry representatives and environmental interests in an effort to build a regional consensus on a viable regulatory approach to ballast water management and advance such legislation in Congress. 

More than 180 AIS have been introduced into the Great Lakes  St. Lawrence River system since the beginning of European settlement in North America. Remediation of the problems they cause is an ongoing and expensive burden on the region, with significant costs to the regional economy, including the power generation, water supply, sport and commercial fishery, and tourism sectors.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Ballast water legislation pulled from House's docket

WASHINGTON  Legislation which would require shippers to more carefully regulate the ballast water they take on and release while heading to American ports has been pulled for consideration next week by the House leadership, according to U.S. Rep. Candice Millers office.

The legislation was expected to come to the House floor next week. There was no reason given for its postponement.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080223/NEWS07/80223039/1009/PRINT


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

WI - DNR taking helm on ships' ballast
Agency says it can't wait for Congress to pass a bill protecting Great Lakes

Tired of waiting for Congress to enact ballast rules to prevent the next zebra mussel from invading the Great Lakes, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is moving toward writing its own rules to control what overseas ships are allowed to dump into the world's largest freshwater system.

"The department is evaluating regulatory options," the department wrote in a Feb. 11 memo in advance of Tuesday's Wisconsin Natural Resources Board meeting in Madison.
The Michigan legislature has already passed its own ballast bill, and other Great Lakes legislatures are considering similar moves.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=722364


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

NY - Invasive species litigation targeted
CUOMO SIGNS OFF: States, groups seek to protect interests

ALBANY  State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo wants to make sure New Yorkers' interests are protected in federal litigation involving invasive species in the Great Lakes.

In signing the amicus curiae brief, Mr. Cuomo joins attorneys general from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The federal Environmental Protection Agency also is a party. An amicus, or "friend of the court," brief offers a means for interested persons or groups who are not direct parties to a case to offer their concerns for the court's consideration.

The case, Fenav et al. v. Chester, will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Ms. Kennedy said that a date for oral arguments has not been set, nor has the venue. The sixth circuit covers Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20080303/NEWS01/884763912


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Michigan ballast water law upheld in court
Federal appeals panel rejects a challenge filed by shipping companies and associations

TRAVERSE CITY -- A federal appeals court Friday upheld a Michigan law designed to prevent oceangoing freight ships from bringing invasive species to the Great Lakes in their ballast water.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati rejected a challenge to the statute filed by nine shipping companies and associations. They claimed the measure interferes with interstate commerce and is pre-empted by federal law. 

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081122/METRO/811220402/1408/LOCAL


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