The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized national discharge standards to control pollutants and invasive species from approximately 85,000 vessels operating in U.S. waters. The standards, issued through the EPA’s Vessel Incidental Discharge National Standards of Performance final rule, address discharges that occur during the normal operation of large vessels.
“Clean water and healthy aquatic ecosystems provide multiple benefits to nearby communities. They support commerce and commercial fishing, they serve as sources of drinking water, and they connect people to nature,” said EPA Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “EPA’s final rule will help protect our vital waterways while reducing the spread of invasive species, like zebra mussels. The agency’s final rule also delivers on Congress’ direction to establish nationwide requirements that replace the current patchwork of federal, state and local requirements.”
The new rule applies primarily to non-recreational, non-Armed Forces vessels 79 feet or longer and ballast water from fishing vessels and non-recreational, non-Armed Forces vessels less than 79 feet long. Discharges can happen during normal operations such as oil from machinery and wastewater from showers and sinks. The rule addresses 20 discharges and their associated pollutants through best management practices and treatment standards.
For example, the rule requires large vessels operating in the Great Lakes ("Lakers") constructed in the future to operate ballast water management systems. This requirement aims to reduce the spread of invasive species throughout the Great Lakes.
The new standards will not be implemented for up to two years while the U.S. Coast Guard develops corresponding regulations. Until then, vessels remain subject to existing discharge requirements established in the EPA’s 2013 Vessel General Permit and other applicable state and local government requirements.
Congress passed the 2018 Vessel Incidental Discharge Act to harmonize various vessel incidental discharge permits and regulations. On October 26, 2020, EPA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register for public input on proposed standards of performance. A Supplemental Notice was published on October 18, 2023, sharing new ballast water information received from the U.S. Coast Guard.
For more information, see EPA’s Commercial Vessel Discharge Standards website.
