November 20, 2013 — Federal legislation to exempt fishing vessel owners from getting a permit to discharge things like ballast water and bilge pump discharge was introduced in the U.S. House Tuesday with Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., a co-sponsor.
The moratorium addressed in the bill Jones’ cosponsored was for a federal court ruling in California in 2006 that said EPA was required under the Clean Water Act to issue permits for incidental discharges.
Jones said that could include discharges of things as simple as ballast water, deck wash, bilge pump discharge, fish hold water, and laundry and shower water.
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