(a) The commission shall adopt regulations governing ballast water management practices for vessels arriving at a California port from a port outside of the Pacific Coast Region. The commission shall consider vessel design and voyage duration in developing these regulations. The regulations shall be based on the best available technology economically achievable, and shall be designed to protect the waters of the state. The regulations shall include, as appropriate, restrictions or prohibitions on discharge of ballast water containing nonindigenous species into areas in and outside estuaries and into ocean areas shown to have a capacity to retain organisms.

(b) Subject to Section 71203, the master, operator, or person in charge of a vessel arriving at a California port from a port outside of the Pacific Coast Region shall comply with these regulations.

(c) Prior to and until the date of implementation of the regulations described in subdivision (a), and subject to Section 71203, the master, operator, or person in charge of a vessel that arrives at a California port from a port outside of the Pacific Coast Region shall employ at least one of the following ballast water management practices:

(1) Exchange the vessel’s ballast water in mid-ocean waters, before entering the coastal waters of the state.

(2) Retain all ballast water on board the vessel.

(3) (A) Discharge the ballast water at the same location where the ballast water originated, provided that the master, operator, or person in charge of the vessel can demonstrate that the ballast water to be discharged was not mixed with ballast water taken on in an area other than mid-ocean waters.

(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “same location” means an area within one nautical mile (6,000 feet) of the berth or within the recognized breakwater of a California port, at which the ballast water to be discharged was loaded.

(4) Use an alternative, environmentally sound method of ballast water management that, before the vessel begins the voyage, has been approved by the commission or the United States Coast Guard as being at least as effective as exchange, using mid-ocean waters, in removing or killing nonindigenous species.

(5) Discharge the ballast water to a reception facility approved by the commission.

(6) Under extraordinary circumstances, perform a ballast water exchange within an area agreed to by the commission in consultation with the United States Coast Guard at or before the time of the request.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 644, Sec. 3. (AB 1312) Effective January 1, 2016.)