Ballast Water Management

& Noise Control Regulations

THIS DOCUMENT INCLUDES:

•  Invitation to Comment

•  Rulemaking Notice

•  Draft Rules

DEQ invites public input on proposed permanent rule amendments to chapter 340 of the Oregon Administrative Rules.

DEQ proposal

DEQ proposes the following changes to OAR 340, division number 143 that will:

•  require vessel operators to conduct a mid-ocean saltwater flush of empty ballast tanks prior to ballasting and subsequently de-ballasting from such tanks while in state waters, and

•  retain ballast water exchange requirements, in addition to meeting new federal ballast water discharge standards, for a subset of vessel arrivals that represent a high risk for transporting aquatic invasive species to low-salinity harbors in Oregon.

DEQ also proposes the following changes to OAR 340, division number 35 that will: move tables and reference documents from a source that is external to the official published version of the rules and incorporates those documents into the official published version of the rules.

More information

Information about this rulemaking is on this rulemaking’s web page: http://www.oregon.gov/deq/RulesandRegulations/Pages/2015/ballast2016.aspx

Public Hearings

DEQ will hold the following public hearings on this rulemaking:

3-5pm, Wednesday May 18, 2016
DEQ Headquarters, 811 SW 6^th Avenue, Portland, OR 97204
CONFERENCE CALL-IN PHONE NUMBER: 877-873-8017
CONFERENCE CALL PARTICIPANT ID: 8623645

What will happen next?

DEQ will include a written response to comments in a staff report DEQ will submit to the Environmental Quality Commission. DEQ may modify the rule proposal based on the comments.

Present proposal to the EQC

Proposed rules only become effective if the Environmental Quality Commission adopts them. DEQ plans to present the proposed rules to the commission for a decision at its meeting on August 17-18, 2016.

How to comment on this rulemaking proposal

DEQ is asking for public comment on the proposed rules. Anyone can submit comments and questions about this rulemaking.

Comment deadline

DEQ will only consider comments on the proposed rules that DEQ receives by 4 p.m., on Monday May 23, 2016.

Submit comment online

http://www.oregon.gov/deq/RulesandRegulations/Pages/2015/ballast2016.aspx

http://www.oregon.gov/deq/RulesandRegulations/Pages/comments/Ccodename.aspx

Submit though optional rotected email

-only for public university and OHSU students

LINK TO STUDENT COMMENT MAILBOX:

comment-codename@deq.state.or.us

By mail

Oregon DEQ

Attn: Rian vanden Hooff

811 SW Sixth Avenue

Portland, OR 97204-1390

At hearing

May 18, 2016

Sign up for rulemaking notices

Get email updates about future DEQ rulemaking by signing up through (EDIT LINK TO ADD CORRECT TOPIC NUMBER): https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORDEQ/subscriber/new?topic_id=ORDEQ_TOPICNUMBER.

or on the rulemaking web site.

Accessibility information

You may review copies of all documents referenced in this announcement at:

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

811 SW Sixth Avenue

Portland, OR, 97204

To schedule a review of all websites and documents referenced in this announcement, call Rian vanden Hooff, Portland, at 503-229-6865 (800-452-4011, ext. 5622 toll-free in Oregon).

Please notify DEQ of any special physical or language accommodations or if you need information in large print, Braille or another format. To make these arrangements, contact DEQ, Portland, at 503-229-5696 or call toll-free in Oregon at 1-800-452-4011, ext. 5696; fax to 503-229-6762; or email to deqinfo@deq.state.or.us. Hearing impaired persons may call 711.