CFR

151.1510—Ballast water management.

(a) The master of each vessel subject to this subpart shall employ one of the following ballast water management practices:

(1) Carry out an exchange of ballast water on the waters beyond the EEZ, from an area more than 200 nautical miles from any shore, and in waters more than 2,000 meters (6,560 feet, 1,093 fathoms) deep, prior to entry into the Snell Lock, at Massena, New York, or prior to navigating on the Hudson River, north of the George Washington Bridge, such that, at the conclusion of the exchange, any tank from which ballast water will be discharged contains water with a minimum salinity level of 30 parts per thousand.

(2) Retain the vessel's ballast water on board the vessel. If this method of ballast water management is employed, the COTP may seal any tank or hold containing ballast water on board the vessel for the duration of the voyage within the waters of the Great Lakes or the Hudson River, north of the George Washington Bridge.

(3) Use an alternative environmentally sound method of ballast water management that has been submitted to, and approved by, the Commandant prior to the vessel's voyage. Requests for approval of alternative ballast water management methods must be submitted to the Commandant (CG-5), 2100 2nd Street, SW., Stop 7355, Washington, DC 20593-7355.

(b) No master of a vessel subject to this subpart shall separately discharge sediment from tanks or holds containing ballast water unless it is disposed of ashore in accordance with local requirements.

(c) Nothing in this subpart authorizes the discharge of oil or noxious liquid substances (NLSs) in a manner prohibited by United States or international laws or regulations. Ballast water carried in any tank containing a residue of oil, NLSs, or any other pollutant must be discharged in accordance with the applicable regulations. Nothing in this subpart affects or supersedes any requirement or prohibitions pertaining to the discharge of ballast water into the waters of the United States under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. ).

Code of Federal Regulations

[CGD 91-066, 58 FR 18334, Apr. 8, 1993, as amended by CGD 94-003, 59 FR 67634, Dec. 30, 1994; USCG-1998-3423, 66 FR 58390, Nov. 21, 2001; USCG-2010-0351, 75 FR 36284, June 25, 2010]

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