Ninth District’s
Ballast Water Management (BWM) Program
CDR Karen Phillips
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways
Planning
and
Development
Chief
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
Great Lakes Qualities
• Closed Eco-system
• Largest Fresh Water Surface System on
Earth (1/5 total fresh water supply)
• 10 Federal Agencies oversee over 140
programs aimed at cleaning and managing
the Great Lakes
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
Multiple BW Jurisdictions
• Transport Canada and USCG laws/authorities
differ
• 8 States and 2 Provinces share shorelines and
use Lakes for drinking water and commerce
• St. Lawrence Seaway has two heads, U.S. and
Canada; and one mission: to facilitate commerce
• TC and USCG have no authority in Seaway
• USCG does not have jurisdiction in any waters
other than U.S.
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
State Initiatives
• State Initiatives
– NY, IL, MI, PA, WI, MN signed on as Plaintiff
Interveners to California EPA case
• Michigan initiated permit policy for 2007
• GL Regional Collaboration Strategy
– Submitted to President in Dec 05
– Asks for $20 billion for Great Lakes clean-up
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
Economics and Environment
• Environment Initiatives
– Joyce Foundation Study
– Close the Seaway
• Industry Initiatives
– FedNav Ballast Water Treatment pilot project
– Short Sea Shipping
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
History
• 1972 Clean Water Act - Burning River
• 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
(International Joint Commission)
• 1984 discovery of Spiny Water Flea – First ANS
attributed to ballast water
• 1988 discovery of Zebra Mussel prompting
national legislation (NANPCA)
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
Great Lakes Specific Regulations
• FR, Vol 58, Apr 8, 1993, Ballast Water
Management for ships entering the GL
• FR, Vol 70, Aug 31, 2005, Ballast Water
Management for ships entering the GL
that Declare NOBOB
• FR, Vol 71, Apr 17, 2006, Ballast Water
Reporting by Foreign-flag Vessels Bound
for the Great Lakes
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
NOBOB Challenges
• NOBOB No Ballast On Board
• 2005 NOAA/GLERL Research confirmed
the risk of spread of ANS through residual
ballast water and sediment in tanks once
ballasted then de-ballasted in Great Lakes
• GAO report: unknown risk
• 70-80% of voyages into Great Lakes are
NOBOB
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
NOBOB INITIATIVES
• Great Lakes Waterways Management
Forum Ballast Water Working Group
– St. Lawrence Seaway US & CA reps
– Transport Canada field and regional reps
– USCG field, regional and HQ reps
• Joint Comprehensive Ballast Water
Management and Tank Exams in Canada,
Seaway or U.S.
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
Type of Vessel
Ballast
Condition
Examiner
First trip
Reported Ballast
Seaway inspectors
First trip
Unreported Ballast
(NOBOB)
Joint Exam in Seaway
or first port of
opportunity
Second or Subsequent
Trip
Reported Ballast
USCG between Snell
and Eisenhower locks
Second or Subsequent
Trip
Unreported Ballast
(NOBOB)
Joint Exam in
Montreal or at first
port of call by host
country
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
Current Initiatives
• D9 OPORDER 04-06, Ballast Tank Exams
• Sampling every vessel that enters the
system
• Working closely with Canada to complete
exams in Canadian waters
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
Forum Work Group Goals
• Harmonize efforts between USCG, TC, SLS to
reduce ANS spread through ballast water
• Improve Ballast Water Reporting quality and
submission rate
• Continue to develop the Joint Ballast Tank Exam
program
• Continue to develop plans to share ballast water
program information between Canada, USCG
and St. Lawrence Seaway
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
D9 Goals
•
•
•
•
Increase outreach, collaboration,
Build partnerships with GL states
Measure effectiveness of NOBOB policy
Incorporate Canada’s NOBOB research
efforts
• Information Sharing with Canada
• Minimum disruption to Industry
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief
Goals
• Develop network with other ballast water
program managers to share lessons
learned, best practices, etc.
CDR Karen Phillips
D9 Waterways Planning and Development Chief