Invasive species, like zebra and quagga mussels, are in the Great lakes because of the improper discharge of ships' ballast water. Same thing is happening in other parts of the world as these and other species find their way to places they don't belong. The simplest solution to the problem would be for ships to exchange their ballast water 200 miles at sea. That's what they're supposed to do, but . . . they don't always do what they're supposed to do.
The new, tougher rules proposed for the Great Lakes will match rules already put in place by the Canadian Government in 2006. (The gears of the environmental protection engine turn slower in the U.S.)
With these new regs, ships will undergo more frequent inspections and will be required to meet higher standards of cleanliness.
The USCG is also considering new rules.
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