2023-22879: Vessel Incidental Discharge National Standards of Performance

Summary

On October 26, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed under the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) national standards of performance for marine pollution control devices for discharges incidental to the normal operation of primarily non- military and non-recreational vessels 79 feet in length and above into the waters of the United States or the waters of the contiguous zone (hereafter, "the proposed rule"). This supplemental notice presents ballast water management system type-approval data EPA received from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) since the proposed rule and supplements the proposed rule with supplemental regulatory options that EPA is considering for discharges from ballast tanks, hulls and niche areas, and graywater systems. These supplemental options are informed by comments received during the first public comment period and subsequent meetings with interested states, tribes, and other stakeholders held between August and November 2021. EPA solicits public comment solely about the information presented in this document; the Agency is not soliciting public comment on any other aspects of the proposed rule that are not addressed in this document. All comments on this document and the comments on the proposed rule will be considered during the development of the final rule.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 1 part of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 40 CFR 139 Discharges Incidental to the Normal Operation of Vessels