EPA Says Technologies Unavailable for States To Set Tighter Ballast Water Limits Than EPA

摘要

States are allowed to set standards for ballast water discharges that are tougher than federal rules, but the technology to meet stricter limits than those recently proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency is not available, an EPA official said Jan. 19. "The Clean Water Act specifically contains clauses that states may apply additional conditions in state waters for any vessel discharges or for any discharges regulated under the Clean Water Act," said Ryan Albert, an environmental scientist with EPA's Water Permitting Division. Albert spoke at a webinar on the 2013 draft vessel general permit and small vessel general permit that were proposed in November 2011.