EPA's Vessel General Permit and Small Vessel General

� Conduct fueling in a manner that prevents overfilling and release from the system to the
environment.
� For vessels with air vents from fuel tanks, use spill containment or other methods to
prevent or contain any fuel or oil spills.
� Owner/operators shall ensure that any crew members responsible for conducting fueling
operations are trained in methods to minimize spills caused by human error and/or the
improper use of equipment.
� For fueling of auxiliary vessels, (e.g., lifeboats, tenders or rescue boats), vessel owners
and operators must:
o While fueling, examine the surrounding water for the presence of a visible sheen. If a
visible sheen is observed, as a result of fueling, it must be cleaned up immediately.
o Know the capacity of the fuel tanks before fueling in order to prevent unintentionally
overfilling the tank.
o Prevent overfilling and not top off fuel tanks.
o When possible, fill fuel tanks while boat is on shore or recovered from the water.
o When possible, fill portable tanks on shore or on the host vessel, not on the auxiliary
vessel.
o Use an oil absorbent material or other appropriate device while fueling the auxiliary
vessel to catch drips from the vent overflow and fuel intake.
o Regularly inspect the fuel and hydraulic systems for any damage or leaks, for instance
during fueling, when performing routine maintenance on the auxiliary vessel, and/or
during deployments for testing.
Deck Washdown and Runoff/Above the Water Line Hull Cleaning. The proposed permit
authorizes the discharge of deck washdown and runoff from deck and bulkhead areas, associated
equipment, areas of the hull, and exteriors of the vessel above the water line as a result of
precipitation or from washing. Pollutant discharges may include residues and any soaps or
detergents used for cleaning.
For vessels covered under the VGP, EPA requires vessel owner/operators to minimize the
introduction of on-deck debris, garbage, residue, and spill into deck washdown and runoff
discharges. They require vessel owner/operators to broom clean exposed decks or use
comparable managmenet measures to remove all existis debris prior to deck washdown. In
addition, EPA requires vessel owner/operators to:
� Minimize the presence of floating solids, visible foam, halogenated phenol compounds,
and dispersants, or surfactants in deck washdowns.
� Minimize deck washdowns while in port.
� Maintain their topside surface and other areas above water line portions of the vessel to
minimize the discharge of rust (and other corrosion by-products), cleaning compounds,
paint chips, non-skid material fragments, and other materials associated with exterior
topside surface preservation.
� Minimize residual paint droplets from entering waters subject to this permit whenever
they are conducting maintenance painting. Minimization techniques include, but are not
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