EPA Vessel General Permit Washington Department of Ecology Randall Marshall or mits/VGP/index.html

It’s time to chart the right course!

A court ruled in March 2005 that the permitting exemption for “discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel” was not legal and would soon cease to exist. EPA issued the Vessel General Permit (VGP) in December 2008 in advance of the expiration of the exemption so that ships could continue to legally operate in U.S. waters.

Coverage under this Permit All vessels meeting the eligibility requirements (about 30,000) were automatically covered on December 19, 2008 when EPA issued the VGP. Fishing vessels and commercial vessels less than 79 feet long are exempt from needing VGP coverage for a 2-year moratorium. Ballast water discharges from these vessels are not exempt. Recreation vessels are exempt forever or until the law changes.

Larger vessels must submit NOIs to preserve coverage Operators of vessels ≥ 300 gross registered tons or capable of discharging > 8 m 3 of ballast water must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to EPA. These vessels have automatic VGP coverage up to the deadline for NOI submission. Any vessel operator failing to submit an NOI by the deadline will lose VGP coverage. NOIs for existing vessels are due September 19, 2009.

General Requirements The VGP incorporates existing USCG requirements in areas (blackwater, graywater, ballast water, bilge water, etc.) where the USCG traditionally regulates. contains a narrative requirement to meet water quality standards.

Important Early Sections 1.Coverage under this Permit… Who needs permit coverage and how to get it? Vessel Discharges Eligible for Coverage …. 2 What can you legally discharge? Limitations on Coverage What can you not legally discharge? 1.4 Permit Compliance What might happen if you do not comply?

2. Effluent Limits and Related Requirements Effluent Limits and Requirements Applicable to all Vessels………………..…….….… 12 storage, spills, hazardous materials, etc. 2.2 Effluent Limits and Requirements for Specific Discharge Categories specific instructions for 26 types of discharges

Regulated Discharges The VGP contains technology-based effluent limits for 26 types of vessel discharges: deck runoff, deck/hull washdown, bilgewater, ballast water, hull coating leachate, underwater hull cleaning, fire fighting foam, boiler blowdown, cathodic protection, chain locker effluent, hydraulic and lubricating fluids, desalinization brine, exhaust scrubber wastewater, graywater, and others. None for blackwater because CWA § 502(6) leaves vessel sewage out of the definition of pollutant.

2.2.3 Discharges of Ballast Water Discharges of ballast water must comply with USCG regulations found in 33 CFR Part 151. The USCG proposed on August 28, 2009 to modify 33 CFR Part 151 to establish national ballast water discharge standards (BWDS). USCG will hold a public hearing in Seattle on September 28, 2009 and the deadline for comments is November 27, Any change in 33 CFR Part 151 will automatically change the meaning of of the VGP.

3. Corrective Actions Problems Triggering Corrective Action… When are you required to do a corrective action? 3.2 Corrective Action Assessment Your analysis of causes and solutions to problems 3.3 Deadlines for Eliminating Problem How soon must you complete a corrective action? 3.4 Effect of Corrective Action What are the expectations for corrective actions?

4. Inspections, Monitoring, Reporting, and Recordkeeping……… Self Inspections and Monitoring Must do it yourself Routine Visual Inspections Vessel compliance and recordkeeping Analytical Monitoring (in Part 5 of VGP)… Comprehensive Annual Vessel Inspections……… Just about everything you can outside of drydock Drydock Inspection Reports … Biofouling, hull coating, pollution control equip. etc. 4.2 Recordkeeping Must keep records for EPA/USCG/state inspectors & reports

5. Vessel Class Specific Requirements……….… Large Cruise Ships (500 people or more for hire) Medium Cruise Ships (100 to 499 people for hire) Large Ferries Barges Research Vessels Emergency Vessels (Fire Boats, Police Boats) Vessels Employing Experimental Ballast Water Treatment Systems ………………………………………………….…. 58

6. Specific requirements for individual States or Indian Country Lands….…62 Washington State neither granted nor denied 401 certification to the VGP. As a consequence, the VGP is effective in this state but contains no extra requirements specific to this state. The persistent rumor that we ban graywater discharges is not true. We have a Spills Program (Ecology), Ballast Water Program (WDFW), and Cruise Ship MOU (Ecology NWRO). For the Cruse Ship MOU, see: r/cruise_mou/index.html r/cruise_mou/index.html

VGP Appendices 7. Appendix A Definitions Appendix B – EPA Regional Contacts …………………… Appendix C – Areas Covered Appendix D Reserved Appendix E – Notice of Intent (NOI) ……………… Appendix F – Notice of Termination (NOT) Appendix G – Waters Federally Protected wholly or in part for Conservation Purposes ………………… ………… Appendix H – One Time Report Appendix I– Discharge Monitoring Report..…………… Appendix J - Procedure for Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing of Ballast Water