Discharge Permits for Recreational Boats

[Captain Smollett]

I don't recall this being discussed here, but I was reminded of this on the A-30 mailing list.  Here is the message that was posted.  Note the part of the recreational boat exemption being soon to expire.

The first link gives a good overview of this issue in more depth.

Hello all,

There is a law that requires a water discharge permit for all vessels
with an exemption for recreational vessels on the books. The exemption
will expire this year.

There is new legislation to again exempt recreational boats from the
law. If we do nothing and this does not pass, you will be required to
obtain a water discharge permit for each of your boats....whether it is a
Bertram 46 or an Optimist pram!

I worked for the Marine Trades Association of Maryland and can tell you
that the more letters that are sent for or against a bill weighs heavy
with the legislators. Load up their inboxes today! Boat Blue.org has
made this simple (their link is below) by generating automatic letters
to your State and Federal legislators.

You can read more in depth about the bill, and the history behind it at
US Sailing and Boat US. Their links are below.

Here is where US Sailing has posted their information
http://www.ussailing.org/News/2008/discharge_permit.asp

Here is where Boat US' Legislative department has posted their information
http://www.boatus.com/gov/dischargepermits.asp

Here is where you can fill out an automatic letter that will go to each
of your State and Federal Representatives.
http://www.boatblue.org/takeaction.aspx

[hearsejr]

the letter I got in the mail today addressed the  very same topic. I sent them a message through a link from west marine. here is what I got from the mailman:

Dear Mr. Leggett
Thank you for contacting me about the Clean Boating Act of 2008. I appreciate hearing from you on this matter.

I am an avid outdoorsman and the Senate Co-Chair of the Congressional Boating Caucus, and I believe everyone should enjoy the recreational benefits of North Carolina. Recreational boating is a very important industry in our state and is a thriving part of our economy.

You will be pleased to know that I am cosponsor of S.2766, the Clean Boating Act. In September 2006, a U.S. District Court ruling nullified an Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation providing an exemption from effluent discharges to recreational boaters underthe Clean Water Act. when the Clean Water Act was passed in 1973, the EPA recognized the unnecessary burden this would impose on recreationalboaters and the boating industry and, for this reason, issued the exemption. the EPA clearly did not intend to have this provision to apply to recreational boaters. In response to this court ruling, S.2766 would allow recreational boaters to continue boating with the exemption from effluent discharges that was originally provided to them. This bipartisan legislation has the support of both the environmentalists and the boating industry, and it is my hope that Congress will approve it as soon as possible.

Again, thank you for contacting me. should you have any additional questions or comments, please do not hesitate to let me know or visit my website at http://burr.senate.gov

   Sincerely

   Richard Burr
   United State Senator

[s/v Faith]

I hope the new law passes to keep this from affecting rec. boats.

  If it did not, it would be interesting to see if it caused an increased market for sub 26' boats....

[s/v Faith]

July 22, 2008
Tuesday


Washington, DC ­ The U.S. House of Representatives today approved bills to ensure that millions of recreational boaters, fishermen and small commercial vessel operators will not be newly subjected to massive fines for the normal operation of their vessels.

The House passed the Clean Boating Act of 2008 (S. 2766) and another bill (S. 3298), under suspension of the rules.  The Clean Boating Act provides a narrow Clean Water Act exemption for incidental discharges during the normal operation of recreational vessels.  S.3298 establishes a two-year moratorium on the pending requirement for all fishing vessels and small commercial vessels to obtain permits for similar incidental discharges.  Both bills, which had identical companion bills in the House, are now cleared for the President's signature.

"The Clean Boating Act will prevent America's 16 million recreational boaters from being subject to federal fines of up to $32,500 per day for discharges, including rain that falls on the decks of their boats, and release of water from a marine sink or shower," said Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Ranking Member Steve LaTourette (R-OH), who introduced the House version of the legislation, H.R. 5949, also called the Clean Boating Act of 2008.  "This is a commonsense solution to the present situation which has been forced upon us by a single federal judge from Northern California.  For more than 30 years, these discharges have not been classified as pollutants, and this bill will protect the original intent of the law."[/quote]

You can read the rest of the article at: http://www.sitnews.us/0708news/072208/072208_fishingvessels.html

[Godot]

What????  Good news from Washington?  I feel like I've just entered the twilight zone!

[Auspicious]

The House and Senate passed the same bill within hours of each other yesterday, so no conference committee. This is good news for all of us.

Your tax dollars at work.

[hearsejr]

 heheh enough of us complained I guess...weell that and I think about every other politition has a big yacht, or uses a freinds yacht.
they are gett'n something out of it, they never do anything just becouse it is the right thing to do.
hehe
Bill

[s/v Faith]

In case you missed it, the bill was signed a couple days ago.

  Here is an email I got from BoatUS;

Dear BoatU.S. Member,     

     Thanks to some great teamwork, the threat of a new EPA discharge permit for all your boats is gone!     

  On Tuesday night, President Bush signed into law "The Clean Boating Act of 2008," which gives recreational boats a permanent exemption for the court imposed EPA discharge permit.      I thank each of you for helping create this victory for boating.  Every time we asked for your help, you were there to push the legislation further down the path towards successful passage. You contacted your Members of Congress and helped them understand the importance of boating in your life.  And Congress heard the loud voices of tens of thousands of boaters!  Nice work!       

  Enjoy the rest of the summer on the water!   

Margaret Podlich   
Vice President of Government Affairs   
BoatU.S.    Govtaffairs@boatus.com   

For more information on this topic please visit www.boatus.com/gov.