The final VGP covers commercial vessels greater than 79 feet (24.0792 metres) in length, excluding military and recreational vessels, and will replace the 2008 vessel general permit due to expire on 19 December 2013.

This permit regulates 27 specific discharge categories, and should also provide improvements to the efficiency of the permit process, and clarify discharge requirements by the following:

·         Reduce the risks of introduction of invasive species. The permit includes a more stringent numeric discharge standard limiting the release of non-indigenous invasive species in ballast water. The permit also contains additional environmental protection for the Great Lakes, which have suffered disproportionate impacts from invasive species, aligning federal standards with many Great Lakes states by requiring certain vessels to take additional precautions to reduce the risk of introducing new invasive species to U.S. waters

·        The permit aims at eliminating duplicative reporting requirements, expand electronic recordkeeping opportunities, and reduce self-inspection frequency for vessels that are out of service for extended periods

The 27 regulated discharge categories is specified as follows:

1.    Deck Washdown and Runoff and Above Water Line Hull Cleaning

2.     Bilgewater/Oily Water Separator Effluent

3.     Ballast Water

4.     Anti-fouling Hull Coatings/Hull Coating Leachate

5.     Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)

6.     Boiler/Economizer Blowdown

7.     Cathodic Protection

8.     Chain Locker Effluent

9.     Controllable Pitch Propeller and Thruster Hydraulic Fluid and other Oil Sea Interfaces including Lubrication Discharges from Paddle Wheel Propulsion, Stern Tubes, Thruster Bearings, Stabilizers, Rudder Bearings, Azimuth Thrusters, and Propulsion Pod Lubrication, and Wire Rope and Mechanical Equipment Subject to Immersion

10.  Distillation and Reverse Osmosis Brine

11.  Elevator Pit Effluent

12.  Firemain Systems

13.  Freshwater Layup

14.  Gas Turbine Washwater

15.  Graywater

16.  Motor Gasoline and Compensating Discharge

17.  Non-Oily Machinery Wastewater

18.  Refrigeration and Air Condensate Discharge

19.  Seawater Cooling Overboard Discharge (Including Non-Contact Engine Cooling Water; Hydraulic System Cooling Water, Refrigeration Cooling Water)

20.  Seawater Piping Biofouling Prevention

21.  Boat Engine Wet Exhaust

22.  Sonar Dome Discharge

23.  Underwater Ship Husbandry

24.  Welldeck Discharges

25.  Graywater Mixed with Sewage from Vessels

26.  Exhaust Gas Scrubber Washwater Discharge

27.  Fish Hold Effluent

The new discharge standards are supported by independent studies by EPA’s science advisory board and the National Research Council, and are consistent with those contained in the International Maritime

Organization’s 2004 Ballast Water Convention. EPA is issuing the permit in advance of the current permit's expiration to provide the regulated community time and flexibility to come into compliance with the new requirements.

The 2013 VGP among others includes new requirements for Ballast Water discharges such as:

·         monitoring equipment performance to assure the system is fully functional

·         monitoring from all ballast water systems for selected biological indicators

·         monitoring of the ballast water discharge itself for biocides and residuals to assure compliance with the effluent limitations

The US EPA will be posting more information in the coming months to provide key details on the permit, including a permit overview, how to obtain authorization under the permit, monitoring and reporting requirements, and additional permitting resources

More information including the full text of the 2013 VGP can be found on following

websitehttp://www.epa.gov/npdes/vessels

Contact marine@bimco.org