Invasive Species

Environmental Summit to Convene in Chicago

Experts on aquative invasive species along with environmental engineers and fishing and river-carrier interests will convene on May 14 and 15 in Chicago for a meeting to discuss practical ways to prevent invasive species from moving between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. More than 60 people from the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom will participate in the summit. The summit will begin with presentations on invasive-species transfer, wastewater management, flood control, and navigation and shipping. Participants will devise a work plan for preventing further environmental degradation and impacts on marine-related industries in the two basins. Mayor Daley and Chicago’s Department of Environment, along with William F. Hartwig, regional director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service are expected to be on hand for the summit. The summit will be held at the Hyatt on Printer’s Row, 500 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago.

Invasive Species Research and Development Bill Introduced

Representative Ehlers (R-MI) introduced a bill (H.R. 5395) to establish marine and freshwater research, development, and demonstration programs to support efforts to prevent, control, and eradicate invasive species, as well as to educate citizens and stakeholders and restore ecosystems. Source: HK Law

Aquatic Nuisance Task Force Meeting

The Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, sponsored by the Fish and Wildlife Service, will meet in Herndon, Virginia on October 19 and 20. Topics on the agenda include the 100th Meridian Initiative, Caulerpa eradication, invasive species forecasting, and risk analysis. 70 Fed. Reg. 59079 (HK Law).

Effective Means Of Combating Invasive Aquatic Species Urged

Witnesses representing the shipping industry, ports, and an environmental organization met on May 15 to urge the development of mandatory federal ballast water management regulations and alternative management options to more effectively address the problem of aquatic invasive species in the United States. The joint hearing of the U.S. House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee and the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee focused on the implementation of the National

Ballast Water Management Hearing Held

On March 25, the Subcommittees on Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation and on Water Resources & Environment of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure conducted a joint hearing on Ballast Water Management. The purpose of the hearing was to examine the international ballast water standards recently agreed to by the IMO and to review reauthorization of the National Invasive Species Act (NISA). RADM Thomas Gilmour, USCG, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security

AGLPA Responds to BWT Research Findings

Steven A. Fisher, Executive Director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association takes issue with the findings of a Notre Dame Ballast Water Technology research paper. To the Editor: In recent years, a debate has raged between the maritime industry and environmental activists regarding the appropriate regulation of ships' ballast water.  This public policy discussion has unfortunately been tainted by considerable misinformation

Funding Approved to Combat Invasive Species in Ballast Water

Funding for the GloBallast Partnerships project, to assist developing countries in reducing the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms in ships' ballast water, has been approved by the intergovernmental Council of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), enabling the project to enter an exciting new phase. The main objective of GloBallast Partnerships (full title: Building Partnerships to Assist Developing Countries to Reduce the Transfer of Harmful Aquatic Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water)

ETV Ballast Water Stakeholder Meeting

The U.S. Coast Guard and the EPA are co-sponsoring a meeting of the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Ballast Water Stakeholders in Alexandria, Va., on June 18, 2002. Items on the agenda include an update on the ETV program, IMO activities, USCG ballast water standards, the ETV ballast water protocol, possible ballast water test sites, NOAA ballast water activities, and reauthorization of the National Invasive Species Act. Source: HK Law

USCG Releases Great Lakes Ballast Water Management Report

The US Coast Guard released the Great Lakes ballast water management report.  The report, compiled by the Great Lakes Ballast Water Working Group (BWWG), summarizes efforts to coordinate bi-national enforcement and compliance efforts to reduce the likelihood of introduction of aquatic invasive species via ballast water.  The report indicates that, during 2007, 100% of first trip ships bound for the received a ballast water examination and 100% of ballast water reporting forms were

STUDY: Ballast Water Measures Are Falling Short

Not Enough Ships Able to Flush Out Invasive Species Before They Reach Port, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Reports Invasive species have hitchhiked to the U.S. on cargo ships for centuries, but the method U.S. regulators most rely on to keep them out is not equally effective across coasts. Ecologists from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center have found that ports on the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico are significantly less protected than ports on the West Coast