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Ballast Water Discharge Standard Rulemaking (Aug 28, 2009)
DHS. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard is proposing new standards for controlling foreign organisms that might hitch a ride to the United States in a ship's ballast water. The proposal also would establish new procedures for approving onboard equipment to clean ballast water before discharge. For the first time, the regulation sets upper limits for the number of organisms per unit of ballast water. The current rules only require vessels to make mid-ocean ballast exchanges, a control technique that has frequently been attacked as inadequate to prevent the introduction of alien species into U.S. waters. The Coast Guard's proposal closely follows recommendations adopted last month by the International Maritime Organization’s marine pollution committee.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before Dec 4 , 2009.
Update of Noxious Weed Regulation (Jun 9, 2009)
USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to make several changes to the regulations governing the importation and interstate movement of noxious weeds. See APHIS' Noxious Weeds Program for more information.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before Aug 10, 2009.
Model Weed Law Provisons for Management of New Invaders, Rapid Response, and Cost-Effetive Allocation of Public Resources: Tiering Noxious Weed Lists to Invasion Stage - Summary (Nov 2008; PDF | 319 KB) and Full Report (Sep 3, 2008; PDF | 87 KB)
Montana State University. Center for Invasive Plant Management.
Report by Peter M. Rice, University of Montana
Decisions on designating species for a state or provincial weed list can have far-reaching implications for effective and efficient noxious weed management. Some states already have or are moving toward "tiered" lists that group weed species according to management priority, infestation range, or other parameters. However, according to the North American Weed Management Association, most state and provincial weed laws address weeds only after they become well established. Updating noxious weed laws by developing weed lists tiered to the plant population invasion stage can guide allocation of scarce public resources to the management of prioritized noxious weeds, including those species that require a rapid response. Incorporating additional provisions into state weeds laws can strengthen efforts in managing new invaders.
APHIS' Quarantine 56 Revision Factsheet (Oct 2008; PDF | 47KB) and Questions and Answers on the Quarantine 56 Revision (Oct 2008; PDF | 45 KB)
USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Effective Aug 16, 2007, APHIS implemented revised regulations pertaining to the importation of fruits and vegetables. Collectively, these regulations are commonly referred to as Quarantine 56 or the Q56 regulations. Overall, the Q56 revisions, which are now in effect, simplify and expedite APHIS' process for approving new imports and pest-free areas while continuing to allow for public participation in agency decisionmaking. For additional information, see Quarantine Q56 Regulations.
Lacey Act
USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The 2008 Farm Bill (the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (PDF | 1.4 MB ), effective May 22, 2008, ammended the Lacy Act. The amended Act now covers a broad range of plants and plant products, including timber deriving from illegally harvested plants. Import declarations requirements become effective Dec 15, 2008; declaration enforcements of the requirements will be phased-in and will begin Apr 1, 2009. Based on comments received on the initial implementation plan, further internal consideration and experience with the first phase of enforcement, APHIS has revised the implementation schedule for the remaining phases.  The revised schedule covers implementation through Aug 31, 2010. See Hot Issues: Lacey Act for more information.
House Passes Ballast Water Legislation
On Apr 24, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008 (H.R. 2830) by a vote of 395 to 7. Title V of the bill requires that in 2009 shippers must begin installing ballast water treatment systems that meet an interim standard in vessels that enter U.S. waters. All ships will be required to have ballast technology on board by 2014. Water quality standards for the treated ballast water will be ten times more stringent than international standards that are set to take effect in 2015. The bill also stipulates that ships reporting no ballast on board (NOBOBs) will be required to conduct saltwater flushing.
Giant HogweedFederal Noxious Weed List (Jun 30, 2006; PDF | 26 KB) and Noxious Weed Regulations (PDF | 24 KB)
USDA. APHIS. Plant Protection and Quarantine.
Federal Weed List (7 CFR 360): The following plants, seeds, or other parts capable of propagation are within the definition of a "noxious weed" under the Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974 (7 USC 2802(c)). Listed noxious weeds may be moved into or through the United States only under permit from the USDA Plant Protection and Quarantine programs, and under conditions that would not involve a danger of disseminating the weeds.
Fire AntRegulated Pest List
USDA. APHIS. Plant Protection and Quarantine.

Northern Snakehead Injurious Wildlife and Current List of Injurious Wildlife Species - 50 CFR 16 (Oct 1, 2005; PDF | 72 KB) and Injurious Wildlife: A Summary of the Injurious Provisions of the Lacey Act (Jul 2007; 1.7 MB)
DOI. FWS. Division of Environmental Quality.

Zebra musselNonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (Dec 29, 2000; PDF | 259 KB)
Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.

Federal Laws and Regulations

Covers congressional bills, executive orders, congressional hearings and testimonies, and other Federal legislative information.

State Laws and Regulations

Lists laws and regulations relating to invasive species for each state, as well as links to other sites with state legal information.

International Laws and Regulations

Describes international guidelines, agreements, treaties, and legal organizations on the global and regional level.

Declarations and Reports

Contains links to official declarations from organizations regarding invasive species, as well as related reports.

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Last Modified: Nov 12, 2009
 
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