The National Wildlife Foundation, along with several other groups, have taken the first step towards legal action against the shipping industry under the Clean Water Act.

“We need to do what we can to protect ourselves from invasive species,” since Congress has failed to act, said Andy Buchsbaum, director of the wildlife federation’s Great Lakes office in Ann Arbor, Mich. Legislation requiring shippers to treat their ballast has been pending for four years in Congress, he said.

On a related note, Dennis Anderson conducts a Q&A with Rep. Jim Oberstar to talk about the Clean Water Act, which the northern Minnesota Congressman has been involved with since its inception, and his new Clean Water Restoration bill. Excerpts after the jump.
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