Michigan - Permit System To Address Ballast Water Issue

July 2005

New state legislation in Michigan effective 1 January 2007 will require all oceangoing vessels to apply for a permit from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality before being allowed to use Michigan ports. To qualify for the permit, ships must prove either that they will not discharge ballast water or that they are equipped to prevent discharge of aquatic nuisance species. Failure to comply with permitting requirements could result in a fine of up to $25,000 per day. 

Untreated discharged ballast water from visiting vessels is primarily responsible for introducing non-native aquatic nuisance species into the waters of the Great Lakes. Damage estimates from non-native zebra mussels alone exceed $3 billion over the past ten years.

Further details are given in a Press Release issued by the Governor's Office. 

Update

Further information on the Michigan Ballast Water Control requirements can be found on the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality website at: http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3682-153446--,00.html