Ballast Water Management Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2490
Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2004-06-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Animals
Aquatic pests
Armed Forces and National Security
Biological diversity
Business records
Canada
Caribbean area
Coast guard
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Defense
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Transportation
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental law enforcement
Environmental technology
Exotic animals
Exotic plants
Federal aid to research
Federal aid to water pollution control
Federal preemption
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Great Lakes
Harbors
Infrastructure
International Affairs
International environmental cooperation
Latin America
Law
Licenses
Maps
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Marine resources conservation
Marine safety
Marine terminals
Mexico
Negotiations
Non-native species
Pest control
Planning
Research and development
Science, Technology, Communications
Searches and seizures
Shipbuilding
Ships
Standards
Technological innovations
Technology assessment
Transportation and Public Works
Treaties
Warships
Waste disposal in rivers, lakes, etc.
Waste disposal in the ocean
Waste disposal sites
Waste water treatment
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2004-06-02
text: 
Ballast Water Management Act of 2004 - Amends the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to revise certain aquatic invasive species prevention requirements to: (1) apply them to certain U.S. vessels and to certain foreign vessels that are en route to, or have departed from, a U.S. port; and (2) establish ballast water and sediment management standards for vessels of the armed forces.
 
Prohibits, with specified exceptions, a person from uptaking or discharging ballast water and sediment from a U.S. vessel operating in U.S. or non-U.S. waters. Requires a vessel to conduct all its ballast water management operations in accordance with a ballast water management plan that meets the requirements prescribed and approved by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating.
 
Requires a vessel before discharging ballast water into U.S. waters to conduct ballast water treatment so that the discharged ballast water will contain no more than a specified level of living organisms or microbes. Prohibits an operator of a vessel, until the vessel conducts such treatment, from uptaking or discharging ballast water unless the operator conducts a ballast water exchange in a manner that results in an efficiency of at least 95 percent volumetric exchange of the ballast water for each ballast water tank. Sets forth certain certification procedures with respect to vessel ballast water management plans and equipment used for ballast water and sediment management.
 
Sets forth civil penalties for persons who violate the requirements of this Act.
 
Urges the Secretary to negotiate with foreign countries to develop and implement an international program for preventing the unintentional introduction and spread of nonindigenous species.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-06-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6354-6358)
action_date: 2004-06-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6354)
action_date: 2004-06-02
text: Introduced in Senate