The Coast Guard, as the lead agency, announces its intent to prepare the Viability Testing Method Consideration for Acceptance Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. Through this document, we will evaluate the potential environmental impact of the Coast Guard’s Proposed Action to use the best available science to evaluate one or more viability testing methods submitted for consideration. Through this document, we will also evaluate, and potentially accept, methods that demonstrate that ballast water discharge meets U.S. ballast water discharge performance standards currently under development by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Comments must be submitted orally at one of the public meetings or in writing the online docket via https://www.regulations.gov on or before October 7, 2024. Virtual public meetings regarding this notice of intent will be held Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 12 p.m. EST, Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 4 p.m. EST, and Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at 7 p.m. EST.
You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-2024-0501 using the Federal Decision-Making Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. See the “Public Participation and Request for Comments” portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on submitting comments.
For information about this document, call or email Commander Andrew Murphy, Coast Guard; telephone 202-372-1430; email CG-OES@uscg.mil.