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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

 ^4ARITIME ADMINISTRATION 



STATEMENT OF MARC P. LASKY 



CHIEF, DIVISION OF NAVAL ARCHITECTURE 



OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR 



FOR SHIPBUILDING AND SHIP OPERATIONS 



BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE, 

 THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES MANAGEMENT, AND 

 THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON COAST GUARD AND NAVIGATION 



U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



ON THE BALLAST WATER CONTROL ACT 



OCTOBER 27, 1993 



Mr. Chairman, members of the Subcommittees, my name is Marc P. 

 Lasky and I am the Chief of the Division of Naval Architecture in 

 the Office of the Associate Administrator for Shipbuilding and 

 Ship Operations at the Maritime Administration. I appreciate 

 your invitation to testify on behalf of the Maritime 

 Administration concerning H.R. , the Ballast Water Control 

 Act . 



Ballast water from vessels provides a viable in-transit habitat 

 for a wide variety of marine organisms. Invasive nonindigenous 

 species continue to enter, spread and cause economic and »; 

 environmental harm. Some escape detection at ports-of -entry, ^nd 

 ordinary quarantines appear unable to contain them because we 

 lack sufficient scientific knowledge and detection technologies 

 to address the problem. The uncontrolled discharge of ballast 



