The Alaska Delegation announced Friday that it was able to Secure a temporary extension for vessel incidental discharge for fishermen and small boat operators.
The legislation was sent to President Donald Trump’s desk to extend an exemption for Alaska fishing and commercial vessels less than 79 feet in length from EPA incidental discharge regulations.
The temporary extension is effective until January 19, 2018, and replaces a moratorium on enforcement that expired Monday.
Congress is working on a permanent exemption to what lawmakers call a patchwork of burdensome federal and state regulations for vessel ballast water and incidental discharges.
Bill sponsor Senator Dan Sullivan R-AK says that without the stopgap measure, small vessel operators and fishermen would be forced to obtain EPA permits for even the most basic activities such as washing fish guts off decks and hosing out fish holds.
He says Congress should be forthcoming with a permanent solution in early in 2018.
Senator Lisa Murkowski R-AK, in the joint written statement, suggested the standard rule was nonsensical, which, according to the EPA itself, does not help regulate pollution discharges properly.
Thursday, the Senate unanimously approved legislation to extend the exempt period. Alaska Congressman Young ushered the legislation to quick and final passage in the House earlier Friday.
Senator Dan Sullivan, Chairman of the Senate Coast Guard Subcommittee, worked to pass the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act, which was most recently included in S. 1129, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2017.
Sullivan says the legislation would provide all fishing vessels and small commercial vessels with a permanent exception to incidental vessel discharges and create a consistent, uniform regulatory structure that would restore efficient and cost-effective commerce while ensuring environmental protection of our nation’s ports and waterways.
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