US Coast Guard Provides Update to Ballast Water Rule Package

US Coast Guard Provides Update to Ballast Water Rule Package

On 16 May 2011, the US Coast Guard's Environmental Standards Division issued an update to the industry relative to the US Ballast Water Rule Package. Specifically, the Coast Guard has advised that this rulemaking package remains under review, and upon completion of this review the package will be forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Once the package has been submitted to OMB that Office will post a summary on its website and conduct an interagency review. It is anticipated that the OMB review will be completed in approximately 90 days. 

Accordingly, the Coast Guard has revised its date for publication of the final rules for Ballast Water Management for Control of Nonindigenous Species in Waters of the United States to Summer 2011, rather than the original date of December 2010.