[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 21 (Friday, February 17, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                GREAT LAKES INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL ACT

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                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 16, 2006

  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced a bill to require all 
vessels, including those with no ballast water on board (NOBOBs), to 
undergo ballast water exchange before entering the Great Lakes.
  Invasive species pose a dangerous threat to the Great Lakes. These 
creatures can cause irreparable ecological and economic damage to a 
variety of locations and industries. Although no federal agency 
accumulates such statistics comprehensively, an estimate by the 
American Association for the Advancement of Science put damage to the 
U.S. economy at $123 billion annually. We must do better to prevent the 
introduction of invasives into the Great Lakes environment.
  One method by which these species enter the Great Lakes is through 
ballast water tanks. Current law requires ships carrying ballast water 
to undergo ballast water exchange to flush out invasive species before 
entering the Great Lakes from another port. However, 90 percent of all 
ships entering the Great Lakes have no ballast water on board. These 
NOBOBs are not subject to the same ballast water exchange laws, even 
though they still have ballast tanks. Invasive species often survive in 
the sediment at the bottom of these tanks. When these ships operate in 
the Great Lakes, they may add and then pump out new ballast water 
before leaving. This mixes with residual ballast water and sediments, 
and provides an unregulated pathway for the introduction of new 
invasive species when the ballast water is released.
  In other words, the contamination begins.
  We must not leave 90 percent of ships entering the Great Lakes 
untreated. This bipartisan legislation requires all ships with ballast 
tanks, including NOBOBs, to undergo ballast water exchange. In 
addition, the bill commissions a study of the effectiveness and 
environmental soundness of other ballast treatment options. The 
language fixes a current problem and works towards an even stronger 
solution for the future.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation, while small, has enormous consequences 
for the health and safety of one of our national treasures. I am proud 
to introduce this ballast water legislation to significantly reduce the 
infiltration of invasive species into the Great Lakes.

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