On 4 December, the U.S. President signed the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2018 into law. Included in the legislation is a new framework for incidental vessel discharges. Known as the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), this mandate added new Clean Water Act content related to standards for incidental discharges, including ballast water, from vessels in normal operation. The EPA and Coast Guard are currently assessing the implications of the new law. Resulting directive and guidance are expected to be forthcoming. Also of interest in the law is a mandate that the Coast Guard enact measures to ensure consistency among Coast Guard marine inspectors when applying, interpreting or otherwise enforcing regulations and standards upon the maritime industry.
The 2018 law can be found here.
