US EPA Draft 2013 Vessel General Permit & Small Vessel General Permit

US EPA Draft 2013 Vessel General Permit and Small Vessel General Permit

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted information on two draft vessel general permits to regulate discharges from commercial vessels in US waters. The draft vessel general permit (VGP), covering vessels greater than 79 feet in length, is intended to replace the current 2008 VGP when it expires in December 2013. A new draft small vessel general permit (sVGP) would cover commercial vessels of 79 feet in length or less and would come into effect in December 2013. With respect to ballast water treatment, the EPA is proposing effluent limits equivalent to the US Coast Guard Phase I proposed discharge standard (USCG, 2009) which is equivalent to the standard set forth in Regulation D-2 of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention.