Morning Read: Canadians continue effort to quash NY environment law
Canadian officials are visiting Albany today in an effort to convince state officials to bag tough ballast water regulations designed to stop the importation of new invasive species.
Tanker ballast on ships plying the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes is widely blamed for introduction of non-native species including zebra mussels that proved a scourge in North America.
But Canadian officials say New York rules violate their sovereignty and threatens the region’s economy. This from the Watertown Daily Times this morning.
Pierre Poilievre, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, said he plans to meet with “decision makers” and shipping industry representatives to corral opposition to New York’s ballast standard, aimed at keeping invasive species out of the Seaway but which shippers say could effectively shut down the international waterway.
“We do not believe the Seaway can remain open” if the rules are implemented as planned in 2013, Mr. Poilievre told reporters in a news conference call. “If New York goes ahead with these regulations, the economic damage would be massive.”
The ballast water rule has bipartisan support in the North Country.
But the Cuomo administration also faces intensive pressure from American lawmakers in the Great Lakes region. The Coast Guard and the US EPA are expected to unveil national ballast water rules later this month. Read the full article here.
Tags: canada, environment, invasives, transportation
Time for NY to invade Canada.
Tough one.
International shipping threatened, cross-border politics hue and cry, and invasive species proliferation… All very good reasons NOT to vote complete idiots into office in a representative democracy/republic.
BUT…we don’t have to leave everything to the pols, do we? I’ve got 15m, let me take a crack at it.
At it’s core this is not complicated. You ‘fix’ the problem by either not picking up invasive species when loading ballast – or – you filter the ballast water before discharge.
Google “ballast water filtering” and on pg 01 of the SER you’ll find a patent (#6773611, filed 28NOV 2001 ‘Apparatus for filtration and disinfection of sea water/ship’s ballast water … ‘ ) and a UMN project in 2009 re same. (Other research goes back to ’96). So, you can filter (better) and add biocides (to kill anything you DO pick up).
OR…instead of pulling in ballast water from the waterway, why not just pull water from muni-fire control systems in place on every waterfront everywhere in the world?! No chemicals, no contraptions, and, no + cost to shippers, or ports.
Next.
My first thought was exactly Pete’s post, and I started to click “Like this comment,” except for the second thought which was “People reading this may not know that I’m kidding.” (Note: It never occurred to me to think that Pete is serious, though I worried that people would think I was. Inexplicable, perhaps, but true.) My second thought was more along the lines of Ken’s comment–though I don’t have the knowledge that he clearly does about the issue–because I always tend to go from brief, occasionally profanity-laden responses, usually filled with humor that has a dark edge, to more thoughtful consideration. Thus my final answer: Click BOTH!!! Then hope that people either 1: know me or 2: know people who are also smart-bleeps!
I figure if we can tell everyone else in the World except for Israel to suck an egg and do what we tell them to do, the same should apply to Canada.
“I’m with Pete. CANADA..SUCK AN EGG. I usually refer to Canada as the land where they do everything right.”, and I think, in this case they’ve let some shipping lobbyists get in where their brains should be. It’s time for Canada to step forward and do the right thing.
It might help to not refer to “Canadians” as in the headline. This is a Federal government official, a junior member of Cabinet, and given the divided nature of our separation of powers between the provinces and Federal level – as well as our first past the post voting system – not the voice of all Canadians just one level’s administration, government of the day.
Joke on late night tv–“Canada, or commonly known as the cold Mexico…”
If we had strong national policy equal for all American ports the jobs lost would be in foreign countries manufacturing. The cost to import foreign made goods would increase for the foreign ships equally regardless of which American port was used, allowing American manufacturing to be more competitive. Unfortunately Republicans wish to grant a free pass to foreign ships eliminating state rights and the Democrats know that unrealistic laws based on states rights will keep anything enforceable from happening, as they both wish to continue economic globalization supported by international companies that supply their campaign donations.