
      The Secretary may exempt a vessel from the minimum requirements
    established by sections 3704-3706 of this title for segregated
    ballast, crude oil washing, and dedicated clean ballast if the
    Secretary decides that shore-based reception facilities are a
    preferred method of handling ballast and that adequate facilities
    are readily available.

                       HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES                   
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
              Revised section               Source section (U.S. Code)  
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    3709                                  46:391a(7)(N)                 
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      Section 3709 provides the Secretary with the authority to exempt
    certain minimum tanker requirements of sections 3704, 3705, and
    3706 when shorebased reception facilities are a better way of
    handling ballast and when the facilities are adequate and readily
    available.

Last modified: April 20, 2006