Uniform National Discharge Standards for Armed Forces Vessels Act of 1995
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 146.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 13, 1995
Uniform National Discharge Standards for Armed Forces Vessels Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Defense to jointly: (1) determine which discharges are incidental to the normal operation of an armed forces vessel (vessel) and for which it is reasonable to require the use of a marine pollution control device (device) to mitigate adverse impacts on the marine environment; and (2) promulgate Federal standards of performance for each device. Instructs the Secretary to promulgate regulations governing the design, construction, installation, and use of devices on vessels. Allows the Governor of any State to submit a petition requesting the Secretary or the Administrator to review the established standards if new evidence arises which could reasonably result in a change to a particular determination or standard, accompanied by the scientific and technical information on which the petition is based. Directs the Administrator and the Secretary to grant or deny the petition within two years of its receipt. Prohibits States or political subdivisions from regulating the discharge or the design, construction, installation, or use of any device required to control the discharge, but authorizes a State to prohibit one or more discharges into its waters if it determines that its water requires additional environmental protection. Directs the Administrator to prohibit the discharge upon determining that the protection and enhancement of the quality of the specified waters requires the prohibition, adequate facilities are available for the safe and sanitary removal of the discharge, and the prohibition will not have the effect of discriminating against a vessel because it is owned by the Federal Government. Sets forth provisions regarding the applicability of this Act to foreign unflagged vessels. Authorizes the Administrator and the Secretary to: (1) provide resources to determine the nature and environmental effect of normal discharges from, and the practicability of using devices and the effect of the installation and use of devices on, vessels; and (2) establish performance standards for such devices.
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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