Bill Sponsor
House Bill 1154
115th Congress(2017-2018)
Commercial Vessel Incidental Discharge Act
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in House on Feb 16, 2017
Overview
Text
Introduced
Feb 16, 2017
Latest Action
Feb 17, 2017
Origin Chamber
House
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
1154
Congress
115
Policy Area
Environmental Protection
Environmental Protection
Primary focus of measure is regulation of pollution including from hazardous substances and radioactive releases; climate change and greenhouse gases; environmental assessment and research; solid waste and recycling; ecology. Measures concerning energy exploration, efficiency, and conservation may fall under Energy policy area.
Sponsorship by Party
Republican
California
Republican
Alaska
Republican
California
Republican
Illinois
Republican
Illinois
Republican
Louisiana
Republican
Louisiana
Republican
Minnesota
Democrat
Mississippi
Republican
Mississippi
Republican
Missouri
Republican
New Jersey
Republican
New York
Republican
New York
Democrat
Pennsylvania
Republican
Pennsylvania
Republican
Virginia
Republican
West Virginia
Republican
West Virginia
Republican
West Virginia
House Votes (0)
Senate Votes (0)
No House votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

Commercial Vessel Incidental Discharge Act

This bill requires the U.S. Coast Guard to: (1) address the regulation of discharges incidental to the normal operation of a commercial vessel into navigable waters, including ballast water discharges; and (2) preempt applicable state laws and federal regulations issued under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act). Ballast water is water and suspended matter taken on board a commercial vessel to control or maintain trim, draught, stability, or stresses of the commercial vessel.

This bill requires commercial vessels to meet ballast water discharge standards established by the Coast Guard.

By 2022, the Coast Guard must complete an effectiveness review to determine whether revising ballast water discharge standards will result in reducing the risk of introducing or establishing aquatic nuisance species. Further revisions to the standards must be considered every 10 years.

If the standard would result in reducing the risk of introducing or establishing aquatic nuisance species, then the Coast Guard must conduct a practicability review to determine whether: (1) a ballast water management system that is capable of achieving the proposed standard is economically achievable and operationally practicable, and (2) testing protocols can accurately measure compliance. The Coast Guard must revise the standard if it meets practicability criteria.

The Coast Guard must also issue rules establishing: (1) reasonable and practicable standards for reception facilities to mitigate adverse effects of aquatic nuisance species on navigable waters, and (2) best management practices for certain discharges for commercial vessels that are at least 79 feet in length and are not fishing vessels.

Text (1)
February 16, 2017
Actions (4)
02/17/2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
02/17/2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
02/16/2017
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
02/16/2017
Introduced in House
Public Record
Record Updated
Jan 11, 2023 1:35:08 PM