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<BillSummaries>
<item congress="113" measure-type="hr" measure-number="3464" measure-id="id113hr3464" originChamber="HOUSE" orig-publish-date="2013-11-13" update-date="2014-01-08">
<title>Commercial Vessel Discharges Reform Act of 2013</title>
<summary summary-id="id113hr3464v00" currentChamber="HOUSE" update-date="2014-01-08">
<action-date>2013-11-13</action-date>
<action-desc>Introduced in House</action-desc>
<summary-text><![CDATA[<p>Commercial Vessel Discharges Reform Act of 2013 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit a permit from being required under such Act for a discharge incidental to the normal operation of a covered vessel.</p> <p>Defines a "covered vessel" to mean every description of watercraft, or other artificial contrivance used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, that is engaged in commercial service and that is: (1) less than 79 feet in length; or (2) a fishing vessel, regardless of length.</p> <p>Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) determine, within one year, the discharges incidental to the normal operation of a covered vessel for which it is reasonable and practicable to develop best management practices to mitigate adverse impacts on the waters of the United States; and (2) review such determination every five years. </p> <p>Requires the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, in consultation with the Administrator, to promulgate regulations on the use of best management practices for discharges incidental to the normal operation of a covered vessel that the Administrator determines are reasonable and practicable.</p> <p>Prohibits, upon the promulgation of such regulation, the owner or operator of a covered vessel from operating in, or discharging such discharge into, navigable waters, if the owner or operator of the vessel is not using such practices. </p>]]></summary-text>
</summary>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
<dc:contributor>Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress</dc:contributor>
<dc:description>This file contains bill summaries for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.</dc:description>
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