tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-397295736719168796.post3244864830386679199..comments2023-09-08T02:16:04.707-07:00Comments on <br><br><br>Muskegon Critic: DetroitMuskegon Critichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00369039312882343162noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-397295736719168796.post-46973751116142504082010-09-15T04:25:21.585-07:002010-09-15T04:25:21.585-07:00Fast decisive legislation for ballast water as the...Fast decisive legislation for ballast water as the law of the land, not providing economic incentives for ships, from a foreign tax base, bringing foreign goods into our country, would send a message to American manufacturing and perhaps affect their investing policy, as it would level the playing field for industry to grow, providing long term jobs and economic security to our country and may even create stronger countries on our borders where poverty and a bad quality of life is breeding growing instability and violence. Soon, September this new military study created for “change” coinciding with the Coast Guard 20 year plan, and the EPA, — over two years after Senator Boxer killed the legislation created by the largest elected legislative voice of the American people,– they will meet to discuss their “new findings” and might have “new” recommendations. Will they continue on a slow course for change to protect foreign economic interest, or will they speed up mandatory requirements allowing faster protection of our waters and economic growth for our country?<br />The following report for Congress in DEC 2009 that explains that national ballast water legislation would do the same thing as tariffs, plus protect our environment from the carbon footprint and dirty water trail of foreign ships bringing foreign manufactured imports into our country, stealing jobs from Americans. “Although estimates of the costs of ballast treatment may be imprecise and vary from vessel to<br />vessel, there is some general agreement on average costs.14 For example, it may cost an estimated $400,000 per vessel for modification of container/bulk vessels to use onshore ballast water treatment facilities at California ports. More generally, the cost of retrofitting vessels to treat<br />ballast water has been estimated at between $200,000 and $310,000 per vessel for mechanical<br />treatment and around $300,000 for chemical treatment.15 Most of this expense will be borne by<br />foreign shipping companies, as the U.S. flag fleet is a small percentage of the global fleet,16 andDMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02231149011320460370noreply@blogger.com