A Retrospective Policy Analysis: Investigating Public Influence on the 2012 Ballast Water Management Regulations

Abstract

Aquatic nuisance species (ANS) are a global problem placing significant strain on the environment and its ecosystems. A primary culprit contributing to the introduction of ANS in waterways worldwide is ballast water, used by vessels to maintain stability while at sea. For nearly two decades, an acceptable method of ballast water management was to exchange ballast outside the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) prior to entering U.S. waters, however, these and other methods were only enforceable in certain areas of the U.S. In 2009 the U.S. Coast Guard published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking to create a Ballast Water Discharge Standard for vessels calling on U.S. ports and waterways. Over 2,000 comments were collected, and in 2012 a Final Rule (FR) was issued. This project analyzed those comments, and determined whether the public materially influenced the U.S. Coast Guard’s FR, while providing justified recommendations for improving public influence and policy alternatives.