Ballast Blitz

I am posting this from Washington D.C., where I am participating in an effort to educate the U.S. House and Senate about ballast water management. Specifically, we are aiming to encourage the support of House Bill 2830 and Senate Bill 1578 (or whatever amalgam of those two bills is eventually created). It has been more than ten years since the first National Aquatic Invasive Species Act was passed, and that has long expired. Since then, invasive species bills have come up in various incarnations about every two years, but die before they get approved (take a trip down memory lane by searching the ISW using the legalese tag). Seems to me that it's long past time we got back on the path to invasive species prevention, and ballast water management is a good a place as any to start...just ask anyone from the Great Lakes Region).

This event is being sponsored by the National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species, a group made up of several non-profit organizations, including the Union of Concerned Scientists and the National Wildlife Federation. I've been personally charged with visiting Congress members from my home state, Massachusetts, to plead our case. If you are concerned about ballast invaders and feeling politically motivated, especially if you are from Massachusetts, take a moment to drop an email to your Senator or Representative and let them know you heard about this issue and that you care!