The 2013 VGP will not be re-issued before to its 18th December, 2018 expiration date, but will be administratively continued and remain in effect until a new permit is issued, the EPA said in a note circulated last week.
Owners/operators of vessels operating under the administratively continued permit are expected to comply with the terms and conditions of that permit. EPA will continue its work on re-issuing the permit, with a targeted timeframe of permit proposal in spring 2019, it said in a notice.
For vessels covered by the permit as of 18th December, 2018, coverage will continue. Owners/operators are recommended to double-check that their vessels have active Notices of Intent (NOIs) or Permit Authorisation and Record of Inspection (PARI), as appropriate, prior to the December permit expiration date.
Updates to any NOIs submitted prior to 18th December (eg, updates to owner/operator information) can still be made after that date.
For vessels currently without permit coverage, as coverage under the VGP cannot be obtained after the permit's expiration date, the EPA said that it strongly encouraged owners/operators of eligible vessels currently without permit coverage to seek it prior to the cut-off date.
Eligible vessels include those that are currently under construction or that have not previously operated in US waters.
The VGP provides NPDES permit coverage for incidental discharges into US waters from commercial vessels of over 79 ft in length and for ballast water for all vessel sizes.
The EPA estimated that around 61,000 US flag commercial vessels and 8,000 foreign flag vessels require VGP coverage.