<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote">The following was forwarded by Stephen Young (at Cornell) earlier this month, but did not go through so we're reposting it.<br><div style="word-wrap:break-word;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:14px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><div><div>- MAIPC Board</div><div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Jordan Lubetkin <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 06, 2015 11:45 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> ALL_NWF<br>
<b>Subject:</b> NEWS: Court Rules that EPA Failed to Protect U.S. Waters from Aquatic Invasive Species<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Folks-<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I wanted to share some exciting news. Yesterday, in a unanimous 3-0 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit ruled that the EPA failed to live up to its obligations under the Clean Water Act to protect U.S. waters from aquatic invasive
species introduced by ballast water discharge. This is a huge victory for NWF and our conservation allies.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ballast water invaders cost citizens, businesses, industry, and municipalities billions of dollars per year annually due to damages and control costs. Now, the EPA must go back to the drawing board and craft a permit that protects U.S.
waters from this serious threat. <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Read our <b>news release</b> below or in NWF’s newsroom: <a href="https://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/Media-Center/News-by-Topic/Wildlife/2015/10-06-15-Court-Rules-that-EPA-Failed-to-Protect-U-S-Waters-from-Aquatic-Invasive-Species.aspx" target="_blank">
https://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/Media-Center/News-by-Topic/Wildlife/2015/10-06-15-Court-Rules-that-EPA-Failed-to-Protect-U-S-Waters-from-Aquatic-Invasive-Species.aspx</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Associated Press</b>: <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/220c69e0a0d2449983ea39e153ca80a8/court-orders-epa-revise-ship-ballast-dumping-regulations" target="_blank">
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/220c69e0a0d2449983ea39e153ca80a8/court-orders-epa-revise-ship-ballast-dumping-regulations</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u> <u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Hill</b>: <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/255982-court-rules-against-epas-invasive-species-rule" target="_blank">
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/255982-court-rules-against-epas-invasive-species-rule</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u> <u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>E&E</b>: <a href="http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060025874/search?keyword=marc+smith" target="_blank">
http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060025874/search?keyword=marc+smith</a> <u></u>
<u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks to Neil Kagan, senior attorney, who has been relentless in his pursuit of this issue; as well as Marc Smith, Andy Buchsbaum, and Michael Murray, who have helped elevate this issue over the years in the Great Lakes region and nationally.
Speaking of nationally, thanks to Bruce Stein and Josh Saks who have been keeping watch over this in D.C. to make sure Congress does not undermine our ability under the Clean Water Act to protect our waters, fish, and wildlife from the serious threat of invasive
species.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please let me know if you have any questions.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jordan <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Northwest Environmental Advocates - Center for Biological Diversity<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Natural Resources Defense Council - National Wildlife Federation
<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Contact: <u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jordan Lubetkin, National Wildlife Federation <a href="tel:%28734%29%20904-1589" value="+17349041589" target="_blank">(734) 904-1589</a>,
<a href="mailto:lubetkin@nwf.org" target="_blank">lubetkin@nwf.org</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nina Bell, Northwest Environmental Advocates <a href="tel:%28503%29%20295-0490" value="+15032950490" target="_blank">(503) 295-0490</a> <a href="mailto:nbell@advocates-nwea.org" target="_blank">
nbell@advocates-nwea.org</a> <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Margie Kelly, Natural Resources Defense Council <a href="tel:%28312%29%20651-7935" value="+13126517935" target="_blank">(312) 651-7935</a>
<a href="mailto:mkelly@nrdc.org" target="_blank">mkelly@nrdc.org</a> <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Miyoko Sakashita, Center for Biological Diversity <a href="tel:%28510%29%20844-7108%20ext.%20308" value="+15108447108" target="_blank">(510) 844-7108 ext. 308</a>
<a href="mailto:Miyoko@biologicaldiversity.org" target="_blank">Miyoko@biologicaldiversity.org</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:24.0pt;color:red">Court Rules that EPA Failed to Protect U.S. Waters from Aquatic Invasive Species<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:red"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Huge victory for U.S. waters, economy, fish, wildlife, communities, businesses.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>ANN ARBOR, MICH. (October 5, 2015)</b> – In a unanimous 3-0 decision that has ramifications for waters across the country—from Long Island Sound to the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico to San Francisco Bay—the U.S. Court of Appeals
2<sup>nd</sup> Circuit today ruled that the U.S. EPA failed its responsibility under the Clean Water Act to protect U.S. waters from aquatic invasive species introduced by ballast water discharge. Ballast water invaders cost citizens, businesses, industry,
and municipalities billions of dollars annually due to damages and control costs.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Northwest Environmental Advocates, Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, and National Wildlife Federation sued the EPA over the agency’s ballast water permit, which limits the amount of live, biological pollution
ships can discharge into U.S. waters. The conservation groups asserted that the permit was ineffective and would not protect U.S. waters from future invasions of non-native species. The court agreed. The current permit, as conservation groups requested in
their lawsuit, will stay in effect until the EPA releases a new, stronger permit.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Conservation groups hailed the court’s decision:<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“The court understood the real world implications of EPA’s failure, the incredible economic and environmental expense of invasive species that this EPA permit allows the shipping industry to release upon the waters of the United States,”
<b>said Nina Bell, Executive Director of the Oregon-based Northwest Environmental Advocates (NWEA)</b>. “The court ruled against EPA on nearly all grounds, establishing that the Clean Water Act cannot be addressed through a series of bureaucratic checklists
that fail to provide real protection to the nation’s waters.” <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“This is a huge win for our environment, economy, fish, wildlife, communities, and businesses,”
<b>said Marc Smith, policy director for the National Wildlife Federation</b>. “The court, in no uncertain terms, has told the federal government that it needs to uphold its responsibility under the Clean Water Act to protect our drinking water, jobs, and way
of life. This decision is welcome news for the millions of families, anglers, hunters, paddlers, beach-goers, and business owners who have borne the brunt of damages from aquatic invasive species for far too long. We look forward to working with the U.S. EPA
to put in place safeguards that adhere to the Clean Water Act and protect all of our nation’s waters that are essential for people, fish, and wildlife. It’s time to slam the door on this serious threat once and for all.”
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Today’s decision is a big victory for the Great Lakes and our nation’s waters,”<b> said Rebecca Riley, senior attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)</b>. “Aquatic invasive species like zebra mussels and quagga mussels impose
billions of dollars of costs on our economy every year, damaging infrastructure like public water supplies and energy generation systems, and devastating commercial and recreational fisheries. The court made it clear that EPA cannot give up in the fight against
invasive species; more can and must be done to protect the Great Lakes and other critically important waters.”
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“This ruling means that EPA needs to get serious about regulating ballast water in ships that has wreaked havoc on local ecosystems including the San Francisco Bay,”
<b>said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director, Center for Biological Diversity</b>. “Every year 21 billion gallons of ballast water are dumped into our waters with all sorts of invasive species that destroy local diversity.”
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The <b>National Wildlife Federation</b> is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. For more National Wildlife Federation news visit
<a href="http://www.nwf.org/news" target="_blank">www.nwf.org/news</a> <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Northwest Environmental Advocates</b> is a regional non-profit environmental organization established in 1969 and located in Portland, Oregon. NWEA works through advocacy and education to protect and restore water quality, wetlands,
and wildlife habitat in the Northwest and the nation. <a href="http://www.northwestenvironmentaladvocates.org" target="_blank">
www.northwestenvironmentaladvocates.org</a> <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The <b>Natural Resources Defense Council</b> (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 2 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists
have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at
<a href="http://www.nrdc.org" target="_blank">www.nrdc.org</a> and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The <b>Center for Biological Diversity</b> is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 900,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">###<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jordan Lubetkin<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Senior Regional Communications Manager<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">National Wildlife Federation I Great Lakes Regional Center<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Office: <a href="tel:734-887-7109" value="+17348877109" target="_blank">734-887-7109</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mobile:<a href="tel:734-904-1589" value="+17349041589" target="_blank">734-904-1589</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">@NWFgreatlakes<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">@healthylakes<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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