Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 4830 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • FOGHORN LEGISLATIVEREPORT dealt with: Section 301 of P.L. 114-120 directed the Coast Guard to produce yet another report to Congress on survival craft, this one focused on the needs of persons with disabilities, children, and the elderly. That report was to be delivered to Congress at the end of the past year. PVA wrote to the Commandant on June 15, 2016, to offer suggestions as to the content and structure of the report. We await the publication of the report and will analyze it closely when it becomes available. Small Vessel Exemption to the Vessel General Permit As interpreted by the federal courts, the Clean Water Act requires every commercial vessel to obtain a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before legally discharg- ing various types of wastewaters that are incidental to the operation of the vessel. EPA responded to the court order by developing the Vessel General Permit (VGP), a permit granted to the maritime industry as a whole, as opposed to requiring each covered vessel to get an individual permit. The VGP assumes that the vessel follows certain best management practices for its wastewater. PVA has produced guidance as to how affected members can best adhere to the VGP. Prior to the original issuance of the VGP in 2008, Congress intervened, enacting a temporary law exempting commercial fishing vessels and most other small commercial vessels of less than 79 feet in length from having to comply. Congress believed, as did PVA, that the minimal discharges from these vessels posed little if any environmen- tal threat. The “small vessel exemption” has been extended, but it is scheduled to expire in December 2017. If Congress does not act by then, hundreds of PVA vessels that now enjoy freedom from compliance with the VGP will have to conform to it. A key legislative goal for PVA in 2017 is to preserve the “small vessel exemption from the Vessel General Permit, hopefully by making it permanent. Reform of the Vessel General Permit While most PVA vessels currently covered by the Vessel General Permit have done so successfully, there are still substantial problems with the existing permitting system, and other sectors of the U.S. maritime industry, especial- ly those with vessels that commonly discharge ballast water, have serious concerns. As a result, there has been a multi-year legislative effort to reform the VGP process. A bill entitled the Vessel Incidental DischargeAct (VIDA) would make positive changes. PVA’s Board of Directors has endorsed VIDA, and PVA has participated in the coalition of maritime organizations seeking its enactment. This goal was nearly achieved at the end of the 114th Congress this past December, but the effort came up a bit short. Therefore, enactment of the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act in the new 115th Congress remains a priority for the U.S. maritime industry, including PVA. VIDAwill make a number of helpful changes to the existing system for regu- lating vessel wastewater discharges. It will enhance the role of the Coast DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Terminal Design Security Systems Design Vessel Acquisition Permitting Support 1601 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1600 Seattle, WA 98101 www.kpff.com KPFF is an Equal Opportunity Employer Mike Anderson, Director Marine Transit Consulting Group 206.926.0588 | mike.anderson@kpff.com KPFF MARINE TRANSIT CONSULTING GROUP PLANNING PROJECT & PROGRAM MANAGEMENT Systems and Route Planning Feasibility Analysis Terminal Siting Safety, Security, and Emergency Management Customer/Community Relations Operational Efficiencies