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Ballast Water Discharge General Permit

News and information regarding the Ballast Water Discharge General Permit from the Department of Natural Resources.

Basics

commercial ship
Oceangoing ships like this one docked in Superior must meet treatment standards for their ballast water discharges starting 2012 for new ships and 2014 for existing ships.
Photo credit: Frank Koshere

Effective February 1, 2010, the DNR starts regulating large oceangoing ships to prevent them from accidentally introducing harmful new invasive species to Wisconsin's Great Lakes waters, and in turn, our inland lakes and rivers. The DNR permit supplements the current federal general permit that scientists have concluded does not provide significant protection to the Great Lakes. It requires oceangoing ships to meet numerical standards for live organisms left in ballast water after it's been treated.

The ballast water these large oceangoing commercial ships carry to steady themselves is the main source of new invaders to the Great Lakes. Zebra mussels, sea lampreys, and round gobies are among invaders brought in ballast water, and they have disrupted the food chain, harmed fisheries, fouled beaches, clogged water and utility infrastructure, and cost citizens, governments and businesses billions. "Lakers," the large commercial vessels that travel between Great Lakes ports, play a role in spreading aquatic invasive species from one Great Lake to another. They are covered by the general permit as well but not subject to ballast water treatment standards.

Wisconsin joins Great Lakes states New York, Michigan and Minnesota in regulating ballast water discharges. Importantly, all ships entering the Great Lakes must pass through New York waters, where they must meet the most stringent standards, and at the earliest date.

We must stop new introductions of aquatic invaders now. We can't afford to wait any longer for the federal government to turn off the tap.

DNR Secretary Matt Frank, in announcing the DNR's action.

These states were among groups that sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency earlier this decade, frustrated with its inaction and weak rules by the U.S. Coast Guard as the economic and ecological toll from invasive species mounted. To meet a 2005 decision in that court case that sided with the states and environmental groups, EPA issued a general permit in late 2008. To meet a 2005 decision in that court case that sided with the states and environmental groups, EPA issued a general permit (Vessel Discharges - Final Vessel General Permit) in late 2008. That federal permit doesn't include treatment requirements nor numerical standards that the discharge must meet.

The U.S. Coast Guard has proposed more protective regulations and the comment period on them ends December. 4, 2009.

Ballast Water by the Numbers

  • 180+ invasive aquatic species introduced to the Great Lakes since the 1800s.[1]
  • 55 to 70 percent of the invaders since 1959 arrived in ballast water.[1]
  • 1 new non-native species enters the Great Lakes on average every 28 weeks.
  • The Milwaukee and Superior ports are among the Great Lakes ports facing the greatest risk of introduction of new species.[3]
  • $1-5 billion annual U.S. cost due to zebra mussels.[2]
  • Zebra mussels are now in 120 inland lakes in Wisconsin.[3]
  • $9 billion annually for associated damages and costs of controlling aquatic invaders in the United States.[4]

More Information

Ballast water by the numbers references:

  1. Great Lakes Shipping, Trade, and Aquatic Invasive Species [PDF exit DNR]
  2. Predicting Future Introductions of Nonindigenous Species to the Great Lakes [exit DNR] - November 2008 report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  3. Aquatic Invasive Species: Zebra Mussels
  4. Proceedings of the Aquatic Invaders of the Delaware Estuary Symposium, Malvern, Pennsylvania, May 20, 2003, pp. 3-5. [exit DNR]

The Permit

Documents

Wisconsin's general permit for ballast water discharges becomes effective February 1, 2010, and affects oceangoing ships, also known as "salties," and lakers, the big ships that travel between Great Lakes ports.

General permits are designed to cover discharges from a category of activities that are similar in character. Ballast water dischargers will receive from DNR the same permit spelling out the same conditions and requirements for them to meet, instead of each discharger having an individually tailored permit from the DNR.

New General Permit

Under the DNR's new general permit:

  • Effective February 1, 2010, large commercial vessels are prohibited from discharging ballast tank sediment, seawater, and certain other substances. They must adopt best management practices for handling these substances to reduce the risk of releasing new invaders into the Great Lakes. Oceangoing ships and "lakers," the big vessels that travel between Great Lakes ports and can spread invasives among the lakes, both must meet these requirements.
  • By the end of 2010, DNR, with advice from a stakeholder committee, will determine if commercial treatment technology is available to meet Wisconsin's numerical ballast water discharge standards that will apply to oceangoing ships. Wisconsin's standard is proposed to be 100 times more restrictive than the proposed standard for the International Maritime Organization. If the DNR determines the technology is not feasible, the Wisconsin standard will change to the IMO standard.
  • Effective January. 1, 2012, any oceangoing vessel built on or after that date must treat their ballast water to reduce the number of live plants, animals and organisms in it to meet specific numerical standards that DNR regards as appropriate protection against introducing new invasives.
  • Effective January. 1, 2014, existing oceangoing ships must meet these same standards for the number of organisms remaining in the ballast water they've treated before discharging.
  • Lakers will not be required to treat their ballast water to meet standards under the current general permit, which will be valid for five years. The vast majority of ships arriving in Lake Superior's Duluth/Superior harbors are lakers.
  • If the U.S. Coast Guard or EPA adopts numerical standards that Wisconsin regards as adequately protective, Wisconsin will examine whether a state permit is still necessary.

Photos

commercial ship commercial ship
Photo credit: Susan Sylvester & Jim Hansen
Ballast water discharges will be regulated by Wisconsin effective February 1, 2010, to curb the introduction of new invasive species to the Great Lakes and their spread to inland lakes. "Lakers," like the one shown at left, which travel between Great Lakes ports, and "salties," oceangoing boats, are both subject to requirements spelled out in a general permit.

Great Lakes map
Map credit: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
More than 180 invasive aquatic species have been introduced to the Great Lakes since the 1800s, most via ballast water from ocean-going ships entering the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway.

Zebra mussels
Zebra mussels, brought to the Great Lakes via ballast water discharges, cost the U.S. an estimated $1-5 billion annually in damages and control costs.

Contacts

DNR Contacts

Ballast Water
Aquatic Invasive Species
  • Jeff Bode, Lakes and Wetlands section chief (608) 266-0502

Other Wisconsin Contacts

More Resources

Other Institutions Regulating Ballast Water

Reports and Research

Related News

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DNR announces start of state ballast water regulation of Great Lakes ships
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Sec. Frank Statement on U.S. Coast Guard Proposed Ballast Water Rules
Issued by DNR Central Office on Friday, August 28, 2009 at 2:37:42 PM

Stepped up Aquatic Invasive Species Enforcement Starting This Weekend
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Issued by DNR Central Office on Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 1:23:37 PM

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Preventing spread of aquatic invasive species focus of annual Wisconsin Lakes Convention
Issued by DNR Central Office on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 at 12:22:10 PM

Proposed State Ballast Water Permit Open for Public Comment
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Last Revised: Tuesday, February 09, 2010