NRDC v. EPA

Petitioners seek review of a Vessel General Permit (VGP) issued by EPA to regulate the discharge of ballast water from ships under section 402(a) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. 1342(a). The court concluded that EPA acted arbitrarily and capriciously in issuing parts of the 2013 VGP. Therefore, the court granted the petition for review with respect to (1) EPAʹs decision to set the technology‐based effluent limits (TBELs) at the IMO Standard, (2) EPAʹs failure to consider onshore treatment for ballast water discharge, (3) EPAʹs decision to exempt pre‐2009 Lakers from the TBELS in the 2013 VGP permit, (4) EPAʹs narrative standard for water quality‐based effluent limits (WQBELs), and (5) the monitoring and reporting requirements established by EPA for WQBELs. The court remanded for further proceedings in these respects. The court denied the petition for review with respect to TBELs for viruses and protists and the monitoring and reporting requirements established by EPA for TBELs. View "NRDC v. EPA" on Justia Law