WASHINGTON – Nine states sued the Bush administration on Thursday over federal rules on water dumped from ships, claiming there is an illegal loophole that could hurt fisheries and contaminate drinking water.

The states contend that an administrative ruling could allow the transfer of polluted or contaminated water by ship from one body of water to another where it would do harm.

For example, they claim salt water from the ocean could be dumped into the Great Lakes under a June federal decision.

Suing the EPA are Maine, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington and Canada’s Manitoba. At issue is regulation of water discharges from ballast and other sources on vessels large and small.

The states’ action also targets invasive species contained in ballast that could destroy lakes and rivers.

“The EPA takes this issue very seriously and will continue to use all our clean-water tools to protect the nation’s streams and rivers from potential impacts from water transfers,” said EPA official Benjamin Grumbles.