b'NEWSWIRENEWSWIRE EPA Completes Rule About CertainVessel DischargesC ongress enacted the Vessel OnOct.9,2024,theEPApublished closelytoseewhatthefinalrulemightIncidental Discharge Act intheFederalRegisteritslengthyfinal sayaboutgraywaterdischargesandthe(VIDA) in late 2018. The rulesettingnewVIDAdischargestan- process by which an individual statelaw directs the U.S. Environmental dards. The rule can be viewed here.maycloseoffwaterstoalldischarges.Protection Agency (EPA) to update Now, the Coast Guard must beginandstrengthenregulationsaboutdis- its enforcement rulemaking. VIDA UntiltheCoastGuardcompletesitschargesincidentaltothenormaloper- anticipatesthatthiswilltaketwoad- rulemaking,thecurrent2013versionationofavessel(suchasgraywaterand ditionalyears. oftheVesselGeneralPermit(VGP)re-ballastwater).VIDAistobeimple- mainsinforceandmustbeadheredtomentedintwosuccessivestages:first, The major portion of this final EPA byvesselsof79feetormoreinlength.arulebytheEPArevisingthecleanli- ruledealswithballastwaterdischarges, Smallervesselsremainexempt.Keepnessstandardsforcovereddischarges, andtothatextentwillnotaffectPVA inmindthatthedischargeofuntreat-followedbyaU.S.CoastGuardrule vesselmembers.However,PVAsstaff edsewageinU.S.watersisillegalun-updatingenforcementrules. andRegulatoryCommitteearelooking derallcircumstances.NEWSWIREGAO Requests PVA Members Complete Survey on Promoting Growth and Modernization T he U.S. Government Ac- The survey results will help inform Use this link to opt-in to take thecountabilityOffice(GAO) aGAOstudydirectedbyaprovision survey.Pleasecompletethesurveybyanindependent,nonpartisan in the James M. Inhofe National Nov.15,2024.federalagencyisrequestingU.S.flag, DefenseAuthorizationActforFiscaldomesticvessel(includingbarge)op- Year2023toreviewtheeffortsofthe ThelinkwilltakeyoutoaGAOweb-eratorstocompleteasurvey. federal government to promote the pagethatwillaskforyouremailad-growthandmodernizationoftheU.S. dresstosendyouauniquelinkfortheThepurposeoftheGAOsurveyisto maritimeindustry. survey.ThisuniquelinkwillallowyoucollectU.S.flag,domesticvesseloper- tobegin,exit,andreturntoyourplaceatorexperiences,ifany,withtheMar- To reach a wide population of U.S. inthesurvey,whichmeansyoudonotitime Administrations (MARAD) flag,domesticvesseloperators,GAO havetocompleteitinonesession.financialassistanceprograms(Capital askedfortheassistanceofoperatorin-Construction Fund, Construction dustrygroups,likePVA,todistribute IfyouhaveanyquestionsorrequireReserveFund,and/orTitleXI)and thesurveylinktotheirmembership. technicalassistance,pleasereachoutanypossiblegapsintheU.S.govern- If you received this survey request directly to GAO at VesselOperator-mentseffortstopromoteandsupport from another industry group, GAO Survey@gao.gov.U.S.flag,domesticvesseloperators. asksthatyoucompleteonlyonesur-veyresponsepercompany.FOGHORN 40'