US Vessel General Permit (VGP) Requirements - Update
Further to Notice to Members No. 10 2008/2009 and the summary of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Vessel General Permit (VGP) requirements, the US District Court for the Northern District of California has issued an order postponing the compliance date.
The effective date of the VGP will remain as 19 December 2008. However, the EPA will not require permit authorisation and shipowners need not comply with the provisions of the VGP until 6 February 2009.
Members who are in the process of preparing VGP compliance plans for their vessels should note that a pre-publication version of the Final VGP has now been issued. Those who have not yet started are urged to do so without delay. Further information may be found on the EPA’s website in the section titled National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).