Ballast Water and Invasive Species

As cited by the EPA, ballast water is a primary source of the spread of aquatic invasive species*

Ballast water may also contain rust inhibitors, flocculent compounds, epoxy coating materials, zinc or aluminum (from anodes), iron, nickel, copper, bronze, silver, and other material or sediment from inside the tank, pipes, or other machinery.

*EPA, Proposed Issuance of NPDES VGP for Discharges Incidental to the Normal Operation of Vessels, Draft Fact Sheet, 2011.

Estimated Annual Costs Associated With Aquatic Invasive Species in the United States*

*Source: Pimentel, D. et al., 2005. ‘‘Update on the environmental and economic costs

associated with alien-invasive species in the United States,’’ Ecological Economics. 52:273–288.

Species Annual Cost

Fish $5.7 billion

Zebra and Quagga Mussels $1.06 billion

Asiatic Clam $1.06 billion

Aquatic Weeds $117 million

Green Crab $47 million

Invasive Species – San Francisco Bay and Delta

SF Bay is one of the world’s most ‘invaded’ aquatic ecosystems on earth – House Report 112-2166

Estimated rate of ‘invasion’ of invasive species into San Francisco Bay and Delta – once every 14 weeks*

As of 1995, 234 Estimated invasions in the Bay

* Cohen and Carlton, 1998

Bay Area Economics

Bay Area (9 Bay Area Counties) GDP - $535 billion; ranked between national economies of Indonesia (18th in the world) and Switzerland (19th)

Port of Oakland – 5th Busiest Seaport in the Nation

$2.1 billion – direct business revenue created by marine cargo handled at Oakland Seaport

$233 million – local and state taxes generated

SF Bay Area home to 42% of the refining capacity in California

Jobs – 96,859 (Contra Costa & Solano Counties)

State tax revenues - $1.3 billion

Who is Affected?

State Lands Commission requirements apply to any vessels discharging ballast in California Waters (with certain exceptions)

EPA estimates 60,000 domestic vessels will require Vessel General Permit (VGP) E.g. commercial fishing vessels, mobile offshore drilling units, bulk carriers,

cargo ships, research vessels, emergency response vessels

EPA estimates that 12,400 foreign vessels will require VGP

Coast Guard requirements apply to any vessels discharging ballast in U.S. water (with certain exceptions)

Average Cost to meet CG Phase I/ IMO D-2 Standards is $315,000 per vessel.

Treatment/Vessel type Cost to meet standards

chemical application in offshore supply vessels

$258,000

ozone generating systems in Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs)

$ 2.5 million

* Source: Coast Guard 2008 Preliminary Regulatory Analysis

California Ballast Water Regulations

2006 State Legislation - California Code of Regulations, Article 4.7

• All vessels entering California waters may meet discharge requirements by one of the following methods:

• Discharging treated ballast water to meet State Lands Commission numeric limits

• Transfer of the ship’s ballast water to a third party; i.e. an onshore facility or another ship.

• Not discharging ballast water into California waters.

Environmental Protection Agency

Section 402 of the Clean Water Act – Vessel General Permit (as determined by Northwest Envtl. Advocates et al. v. United States EPA, 2006 State Legislation and California Code) • In accordance with EPA regulation vessels may meet their

obligations in one of four ways: • Discharge treated ballast water meeting the applicable numeric

limits

• Transfer of the ship’s ballast water to a third party (which may be onshore or on another vessel such as a treatment barge);

• Use of treated municipal/potable water as ballast water;

• By not discharging ballast water.

US Coast Guard (CG)

Standards for Living Organisms in Ships’ Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters* - March 2012, under the authority of the National Invasive Species Act (NISA)

USCG is amending its regulations on ballast water management by establishing a standard for the allowable concentration of living organisms in ships’ ballast water discharged in waters of the United States.

USCG is also amending its regulations for engineering equipment by establishing an approval process for ballast water management (BWM) systems.

This final rule is effective June 21, 2012

* Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 33 Part 151 & 46 CFR Part 162

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

IMO D-2 standards; set by International Ballast Water Convention (2004)

US is not a current signatory to the International Convention

Convention is not in force currently however IMO has issued basic and final type-approvals for multiple on-board systems

Discharge Limits* Measured Organisms and Microorganisms

California Interim Limits

California Final Limits

IMO/NPDES/USCG Proposed Ballast Water Discharge Limits

Organisms ≥ 50 micrometers in minimum dimension

No detectable No detectable 10 organisms per m3

Organisms 10-50 micrometers in minimum dimension

0.01 organisms per mL

No detectable 10 organisms per mL

Bacteria 10 organisms per mL

No detectable No Limit

Viruses 100 organisms per mL

No detectable No Limit

*Table 2-1; EPA Science Advisory Board Report

Discharge Limits (cont.)*

Measured Organisms and Microorganisms

California Interim Limits

California Final Limits

IMO/NPDES/USCG Proposed Ballast Water Discharge Limits

Toxicogenic Vibrio cholerae

0.01 colony forming unit (cfu) per mL

No detectable 0.01 colony forming unit (cfu) per mL

Escherichia coli

1.26 cfu per mL No detectable 2.5 cfu per mL

Intestinal enterococci

0.33 cfu per mL No detectable 1 cfu per mL

*Table 2-1; EPA Science Advisory Board Report

Treatment Available on the Market

Deoxygenation + Cavitation

Filtration + Chlorine dioxide

Filtration + UV light

Filtration + UV light + Titanium Dioxide

Filtration + Electro-Chlorination

Ballast Water Capacity of Common Vessels

Vessel Type Ballast water capacity

(Cubic Meters) Ballast Water Capacity

(Gallons)

Ultra-large Crude Carriers 95,000 25 million

Cargo ships 2,900-93,000 766,000 -24.5 million

Large Passenger Vessels Cruise Ships

1,000-3,000 264,000-790,000

Small Water Ferries 5 1321

BPC Ballast Water Briefing

This briefing will facilitate dialogue between stakeholders in the maritime and water/wastewater industries on ballast water regulations, treatment capabilities, environmental and economic impacts within the Bay

Coast Guard Presentation

US Coast Guard Ballast Water Regulations

Presented by:

LT Rebecca Deakin – District 11

Panel 1: Science of Ballast Water Treatment

Bob Holt, GE Power & Water

Richard Muller, California Maritime Academy

Nick Welschmeyer, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

Andrew Cohen, Center for Research on Aquatic Bioinvasions

Moderator: Scott Warner, AMEC

Panel 2: State and Federal Ballast Water Regulations

Chris Scianni, California State Lands Commission

Eugene Bromley, EPA– Region IX

Steve Moore, State Water Recourse Control Board

Deborah Sivas, Stanford Environmental Law

Jay Ach, Port of San Francisco

Lisa Swanson, Matson Navigation

Moderator: Anne Whittington, Port of Oakland

Briefing Q&A Write your question on the blue card and specifying

which panelist(s) the questions is directed at

Hold up your card and someone will come to collect it

Any questions that cannot be answered in the allotted time will be given to the panelist(s) and if possible question will be answer at a later date