I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4771 
To amend the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act 
of 1990 to require application to all vessels equipped with ballast water 
tanks, including vessels that are not carrying ballast water, the require-
ment to carry out exchange of ballast water or alternative ballast water 
management methods prior to entry into any port within the Great 
Lakes, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 16, 2006 
Mr. KIRK (for himself, Mr. REYNOLDS, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. EMANUEL, Mrs. 
MILLER of Michigan, Mr. CASE, Mr. EHLERS, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. 
MILLER of Florida, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, Mr. KLINE, Mrs. 
BIGGERT, Mr. EVANS, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, 
Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. SCHWARZ of Michigan, and Ms. BEAN) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention 
and Control Act of 1990 to require application to all 
vessels equipped with ballast water tanks, including ves-
sels that are not carrying ballast water, the requirement 
to carry out exchange of ballast water or alternative 
ballast water management methods prior to entry into 
any port within the Great Lakes, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Great Lakes Invasive 
Species Control Act’’. 
SEC. 2. APPLICATION TO ALL VESSELS OF REQUIREMENT 
TO CARRY OUT EXCHANGE OF BALLAST 
WATER OR ALTERNATIVE BALLAST WATER 
MANAGEMENT METHODS. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Section 1101(b)(2)(B) of the 
Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control 
Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4711(b)(2)(B)) is amended in the 
matter preceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘a vessel’’ and in-
serting ‘‘a vessel, including a vessel that is not carrying 
ballast water,’’. 
(b) DEADLINE FOR REGULATIONS.—The Secretary 
of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating 
shall issue and begin implementing regulations in accord-
ance with the amendment made by subsection (a) by not 
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
SEC. 3. STUDY OF EFFECTIVENESS OF ALTERNATE BAL-
LAST WATER MANAGEMENT METHODS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the department 
in which the Coast Guard is operating shall conduct, in 
consultation with the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere, a scientifically-based study or 
studies of the effectiveness, feasibility of application, and 
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environmental soundness of ballast water tank treatment 
methods, other than ballast water exchange, in reducing 
the threat of invasive species to the Great Lakes. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
funds are available to carry out this section, and annually 
thereafter for the subsequent 2 years, the Secretary shall 
report to the Congress the findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations of the study under this section. 
Æ 
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