Gerry Studds: “the Ballast Water Management Act has a laudable goal--stopping the spread of aquatic nuisances in the Great Lakes and…”

“the Ballast Water Management Act has a laudable goal--stopping the spread of aquatic nuisances in the Great Lakes and other U.S. waters. Ten years ago, no one has ever heard of the zebra mussel, a now quite infamous aquatic pest which entered the Great Lakes in the ballast water of vessels coming from foreign ports. Today, we have more zebra mussels in the Great Lakes than we know what to do with. They are clogging pipes and costing local economies millions if not billions of dollars to control. And they are spreading to other waterways. Merchant Marine Subcommittee Chairman Lipinski has come up with an innovative proposal to help stop the proliferation of these unwanted critters by testing new vessel technologies to prevent the introduction and dispersal of aquatic nuisances. His proposal calls upon the Marine Board of the National Research Council to identify new technologies and practices that can keep aquatic nuisances from being transferred via ship ballast water. After the Marine Board completes its evaluation, the Maritime Administration will conduct a demonstration of potentially useful technologies identified by the Board on vessels which ply U.S. waters. I support Chairman Lipinski's approach and urge the bill's passage by the House.”