tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2191655530218545896.post5971435752397410565..comments2024-01-30T03:22:31.790-05:00Comments on Michigan Sea Grant Fellows and Interns: Networking or Oh, The People You'll MeetMichigan Sea Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08215278437110615227noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2191655530218545896.post-54485352396084632912009-01-06T08:08:00.000-05:002009-01-06T08:08:00.000-05:00Dear Ms.Donnelly, Understand without military supe...Dear Ms.Donnelly, Understand without military supervision against terrorist attacks from foreign ships in our waters we will have nothing, not even protection against foreign sea captains who want to save a buck or just do not like us. There are other industries besides the shipping industry that silently lobby against this because if virus can be in water it would also affect their industry. International movement of fish as food, bait, and in the pet industry are examples. Fish producing states would be affected along with states like Arkansas where parent companies that import large amounts of consumer goods reside. We can not have it both ways if water carries virus. Invasive s and terrorist will not care about state lines. This is an international problem that our federal government needs to address. The IMO with all do respect, consist of many partner countries that we need a Federal policy to protect us from. In NY they are not concerned with the water of fish coming into the state or if water or chemicals have been added in transport. When inquiring to the governor about the states position on the recent federal legislation in the senate, I was sent a letter about a different plan they had other than the one I was asking about which was H.R.2830. The idea of considering ballast dumping a states rights issue is the way industry has curtailed Federal legislation for years. With a myriad of conflicting rules and laws they know enthusiasm by the Coast Guard to enforce will be negligible. The EPA should be involved but in order to portray any sense that we will be serious in the long term the Coast Guard should run the show. In though economic times the EPA would be more susceptible to budget cuts than the military. Interesting that the house of representatives (largest legislative voice of the people) voted 395 to 7 in favor of H.R.2830 and the Senate considers it a states rights issue. This time it was Senator Boxer's turn to oppose the legislation.<BR/>Sincerely, Don MitchelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com