All ships entering the Great Lakes would be required to treat their ballast water to kill invasive species starting in 2009 under a bill that passed a U.S. House Subcommittee on Tuesday.
The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2007 passed the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. It's expected to pass the full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday and move to the House floor.
The bill includes a provision that would require owners of saltwater ships to install functional ballast-water treatment technology to effectively kill 98 percent of all living organisms 50 microns and larger by Jan. 1, 2009.
A micron is a millionth of a meter. A human hair is about 150 microns thick.
The legislation is aimed at stemming exotic invasive species such as zebra mussels and viral hemorrhagic septicemia.
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The bill includes a provision that allows the Department of Agriculture's Animal, Plant Health Inspection Service to require all vessels sailing within the Great Lakes -- including lakers that don't travel into salt water -- to treat their ballast water to prevent the spread of fish-killing VHS.
Viruses are as small as 0.1 micron, however, and may prove more difficult to fully remove from ballast water.
The U.S. Coast Guard would be required to enforce the new regulations under the bill. It's the most stringent federal rule on invasive species that has advanced in Congress.
The bill does not mandate the type of treatment, but recent advancements have been made in treatment with ultraviolet light, deoxygenation, chlorine and other chemicals.
There are at least 185 invasive species in the Great Lakes, almost 100 of which are in Lake Superior.
The ballast restrictions were included by Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar, DFL-Minn., who said the maritime industry must stop stalling and start solving the problem of invasives.
"I am through with academics who want another three-year research program, or a five-year research program, to study and look at and say 'my gosh, that stuff is polluted. Goodness, look at those little critters in there, they're terrible,' '' Oberstar said during Tuesday's hearing. "We've got to do something about it, and this bill does."
An official with the American Great Lakes Ports Association did not immediately return a phone call for comment.
