S. 3298: A bill to clarify the circumstances during which the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and applicable States may require permits for discharges from certain vessels, and to require the Administrator to conduct a study of discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels.

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S. 3298: A bill to clarify the circumstances during which the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and applicable States may require permits for discharges from certain vessels, and to require the Administrator to conduct a study of discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels.

110th Congress · introduced 2008-07-22 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Became Public Law No: 110-299.

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Official title

A bill to clarify the circumstances during which the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and applicable States may require permits for discharges from certain vessels, and to require the Administrator to conduct a study of discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels.

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or a state with an approved National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, from requiring an NPDES permit for a covered vessel for the next two years for any discharge: (1) of effluent from properly functioning marine engines; (2) of laundry, shower, and galley sink wastes; or (3) that is incidental to the normal operation of a covered vessel. Defines "covered vessel" to mean a vessel that is less than 79 feet in length or a fishing vessel. Requires the Administrator to evaluate the impacts of such discharges, excluding discharges: (1) from a vessel of the Armed Forces; (2) of sewage from a vessel, other than the discharge of graywater from a vessel operating on the Great Lakes; and (3) of ballast water. Requires the Administrator to: (1) provide for public comment on a draft of such evaluation; and (2) submit a final report to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Provides that such prohibition does not apply with respect to: (1) rubbish, trash, garbage, or other such materials discharged overboard; (2) other discharges when the vessel is operating in a capacity other than as a means of transportation; (3) ballast water discharges; or (4) any discharge that contributes to a violation of a water quality standard or poses an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] · 15 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Patty Murray (D-WA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Susan M. Collins (R-ME)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] reported raising $1.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Agencies named in this bill

• Environmental Protection Agency: its federal spending and other bills that name it

Found automatically: the agency's full official name appears in the bill title. A bill can affect agencies it does not name, so this list may be incomplete.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

• Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)
• Congress.gov
• Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-110s3298.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/s>

Record fed-us-cong110-s3298 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110