Conservation groups led by the National Wildlife Federation have announced their intent to file a citizen suit against several shipping companies that operate in the Great Lakes, demanding compliance with the Clean Water Act. The lawsuit aims to shut the door on aquatic invasive species.

The Clean Water Act prohibits vessels from discharging pollutants, including biological materials, into U.S. waters without a permit. The lawsuit charges that the shipping companies named have discharged ballast water containing non-native species into the Great Lakes, which threatens those waters since such species have the potential to spread rapidly to other areas and increase vastly in number.

There are currently four effective, commercially-available treatments available for ballast water, as identified by the state of Michigan. One of the chlorine-based treatments is similar to how municipal water supply facilities sterilize drinking water.
Aquatic and terrestrial invasive species cost the nation more than $120 billion annually in damage and control costs.