To create the Ballast Water Work Group within the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Among other duties, the 16-member work group would be required to: 1) Work with Oregon to develop a consistent, coordinated, and enforceable ballast water management program for the Columbia River, 2) Advise the department on the program’s progress, and 3) Help the department review the needs of the program including research investments. The work group must provide a report to the Legislature by July 1, 2009. See companion HB 1738.   Official Text and Analysis.

To direct the DFW in conjunction with the ballast water work group to adopt standards for the discharge of ballast water into the waters of the state and the implementation timelines. The standards are intended to ensure that the discharge of ballast water poses minimal risk of introducing nonindigenous species. The safety exemption to require, prior to discharge, that the ballast water must be chemically treated is modified. Additionally, documentation must be filed, a fee not to exceed $5,000 must be paid, and the department is authorized to adopt rules for defining exemption conditions, compliance plans, and recommended chemical dose concentrations for treatment prior to discharge under the safety exemption. The requirement that DFW collect data necessary to establish and maintain an inventory of the location and geographic range of nonindigenous plant and animal populations in the coastal and estuarine waters of the state is removed.