Groups call for ban on international ships

GARY, Ind., May 24 (UPI) -- An environmental coalition is calling for a halt on international ships entering the U.S. Great Lakes.

Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is trying to call attention to stalled efforts to create federal standards for handling ship ballast water -- which often carries invasive species such as zebra mussels that have caused billions in dollars in damage in the Great Lakes, the Gary (Ind.) Post-Tribune said Thursday.

The group supports a plan that would create a single federal standard for treating ship ballast water and build dams to stop the Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes.

The newspaper said a transportation study estimates it would cost an additional $56 million to route international shipping around the Great Lakes by using trains, trucks and the Port of Montreal.