Vessel discharge reform moves ahead

A bipartisan effort to establish and replace a patchwork of conflicting rules with a science-based federal framework for vessel discharge regulations was approved (S. 373) in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Senate bill 373 is called the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA). A coalition of 60 groups - including the American Waterway Operators - had been among those supporting VIDA. The coalition will work with the committee to bring S.373 to the full Senate in the spring. "The bill is good for the maritime transportation industry and the industries that rely upon it, good for the health of the nation's waterways, and good for the American taxpayer," said a letter from coalition to the committee. (Source: Marine Log 03/05/15)