In a press release, the American Waterways Operators responded to a federal appeals court ruling that ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to reassess the standard to which it requires vessel operators to treat ballast water in order to prevent the spread of invasive species. EPA’s current ballast water treatment standard, which is aligned with the Coast Guard’s, is nationally and internationally agreed to be the most environmentally protective standard that can be achieved with existing commercially available technology.  AWO said the ruling underscores the urgent need for Congress to pass the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) and establish a uniform federal framework for the regulation of ballast water and other vessel discharges, Read the full press release.