Page 28: of Marine News Magazine (November 2020)

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COLUMN

EPA and Coast Guard are now in the midst of a two-step vital maritime commerce moving and better protects the rulemaking process to implement Congress’s directive. Un- marine environment by enabling vessel operators to invest til then, the status quo ante remains in place, with vessel in new technologies with con? dence. Long before the CO- owners not yet bene? tting from the relief VIDA provides. VID-19 pandemic emerged, policymakers on both sides

So, what needs to be done now? of the aisle recognized the importance of replacing an ill-

Under VIDA, EPA has until December 2020 to promul- ? tting patchwork with a more effective national approach gate regulations setting performance standards for vessel dis- to vessel discharge regulation.

charges. In October, the EPA Administrator signed off on a The need to bring to fruition the improved regulatory proposed rule, which will be published in the Federal Regis- system directed by VIDA has taken on even greater ur- ter by month’s end. Industry, states, and environmental ad- gency as our nation seeks to recover from the economic vocacy organizations are all working hard to review and pro- disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Vessel vide comments on the proposal, after which EPA will ? nalize owners, shippers, and the economy itself can ill afford the the rulemaking. When the EPA rule is complete, the Coast additional costs and inef? ciencies associated with a frag-

Guard will take the baton, with a statutory deadline of De- mented and duplicative regulatory regime. cember 2022 to complete its piece of the regulatory process. EPA has gotten off to a strong start toward implemen-

It will be critical that the Coast Guard hits the ground tation of VIDA’s framework for sensible, cohesive vessel running and maintains a brisk pace to keep this important discharge regulations; it needs to move quickly to digest rulemaking on track. public comments, re? ne its proposal, and publish a ? nal

The legislative intent behind VIDA was to ? x a dysfunc- rule this year. The next leg of the race will be run by the tional approach to vessel discharge regulation by creating Coast Guard, where leadership and focus will be imperative a uniform system of national standards – one that keeps to getting this long-awaited solution across the ? nish line.

November 2020 28 MN