Shipping Moratorium

House Invasive Species Legislation a Step in the Right Direction, But Could Do More

H.R. 2830 – a bill to reauthorize the Coast Guard – takes important steps in protecting the Great Lakes and all U.S. waters from aquatic invasive species by creating a Coast Guard program to effectively regulate the primary source of invasive species in the Great Lakes – ballast water discharges. However, there is more work to be done. As Clean Water Action’s Rosie Loeffler-Kemp said to the Duluth News Tribune, “We want to thank Rep. Oberstar for taking the initiative and getting serious about ballast water regulation. But we also want to make sure that what passes Read More » »

Advisors to Great Lakes Fishery Commission Frustrated over Inaction

The U.S. and Canadian Advisors just released a resolution urging the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and its Commissioners on the need to regulate aquatic invasive species from ballast water.

It speaks frankly to the progress (or lack of) in the federal government curbing invasive species introductions when it says:

“Whereas, current ballast water regulations have proven ineffective inasmuch as the rate of aquatic invasive species introductions has not slowed, and
Whereas, governmental action on legislation, regulation, and funding to remedy this serious problem has been woefully lacking, and
Whereas, meaningful, comprehensive AIS legislation Read More » »

Advisors Pass Resolution to Stop Invasive Species

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission 52nd Annual Meeting just commenced in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. At the meeting, the U.S. and Canadian Advisors passed the resolution (below) on the need to stop aquatic invasive species from ocean-going vessels through the immediate passage of comprehensive federal legislation and a moratorium on ocean-vessel access into the Great Lakes until effective methods of ballast water treatments are implemented.

Advisor Resolution Regarding Ballast

Whereas, the Great Lakes have been subjected to at least 183 aquatic invasive species introductions with several of these spreading to other regions, and

Whereas, continued introduction of aquatic invasive species are contributing to Read More » »

HOW Coalition’s Ocean-going Vessel Moratorium Letter to Congress

The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye
Chairman
Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Ted Stevens
Ranking Member
Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable James L. Oberstar
Chairman
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable John Mica
Ranking Member
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. Chairmen and Ranking Members:

On behalf of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition©, we want to let you know that our Coalition supports a moratorium of ocean vessels in the Great Lakes until Congress passes aquatic invasive species legislation that begins to take steps to immediately protect the Great Lakes from new aquatic invasive species. We take Read More » »

As Damage Mounts from Invasive Species, Coalition Endorses Shipping Moratorium = Statement by Jeff Skelding, Campaign Director

ANN ARBOR, MI (May 23)—”We’re calling for a moratorium because invasive species are destroying the Great Lakes, and Congress has yet to respond. It is time to fight back, so that we can protect our lakes, our drinking water, our jobs, our public health, and our way of life.”

“In taking this position, the coalition thoughtfully considered the issue. To understand our thinking, I’d like to walk through how we got to where we are today.”

“When the idea of shipping moratorium was first proposed several years ago, the Coalition did not consider endorsing such as measure—but the playing field has shifted Read More » »

As Damage Mounts from Invasive Species, Congress Delays, Prompting Coalition to Endorse Shipping Moratorium in Great Lakes

ANN ARBOR, MI (May 23) - The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition today is calling for a moratorium of ocean-going ships in the Great Lakes until Congress stops the introduction of aquatic invasive species.

“Our call for a moratorium stems from the fact that the Great Lakes are under attack and Congress has yet to respond,” said Jeff Skelding, campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We have solutions. It is time to use them. Congressional delay is exacerbating the problem and costing citizens more money. It is time for elected officials to pass legislation that will slam the Read More » »

Ocean Going Shipping Moratorium: Remarks to Press Conference by James L. Roach

In 2005, Dr. John Taylor and I conducted research and published a report entitled “Ocean Shipping In the Great Lakes: Transportation Cost Increases that Would Result from a Cessation of Ocean Vessel Shipping.” Online at http://www.gvsu.edu/business/index.cfm?id=11971F16-DBAF-2179-96B0680A95CC6F83. This work was sponsored by Grand Valley State University and funded by a grant from the Joyce Foundation. The report was peer reviewed at a public meeting in Chicago attended by a large number of academic, environmental, and transportation officials.

Our primary research objective was to determine the additional transportation costs that would be incurred if ocean vessels, for whatever reason, ceased coming into Read More » »