Great Lakes United and partners drafted a response to an amendment offered by Rep. Steve LaTourette on an EPA Appropriations bill that penalizes states that take aggressive action to regulate ballast water. 

Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-OH) offered an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2012 Department of the Interior-EPA appropriations bill on July 12 that prohibits Great Lakes states from receiving any EPA funding – including Great Lakes restoration funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Superfund, Clean Water or Drinking State Revolving Funds, Brownfield funding, etc.– if they have in effect ballast water rules that have more stringent timelines or standards than federal or international requirements.

Read the entire response here: http://www.glu.org/en/system/files/HOW_FS%20Great%20Lakes%20Restoration%20Initiative_FINAL%20Jul-11.pdf