EPA permitting for recreational boats, nationwide

[widgeon13]

Anyone aware of this situation and how serious it is for all recreational boaters. Looks like all boats need a permit and they might cost multiple hundreds of dollars for each boat. First I've heard of it in NY state. This is crazy, just a way to raise more revenue for no good application.

Federal Alerts
Action Alert: EPA Discharge Permit Requirement for Recreational Boats

May 15, 2008

The court imposed EPA permit requirement for all vessels in this country is now only 4 months away from impacting every boat owner in the country.

The only way to fix this is through federal legislation. Your ongoing help is needed in order to quickly pass S. 2766/H.R. 5949 "The Clean Boating Act of 2008" through Congress.
On May 1, Rep. La Tourette (R-OH) and Rep. Miller (R-MI) introduced H.R. 5949, which has identical language to S. 2766 "Clean Boating Act of 2008," introduced March 13th by Senator Boxer (D-CA) and Senator Nelson (D-FL). These bills both provide a permanent exemption for recreational boats from the EPA discharge permit requirement.
Yesterday the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed H.R. 5949 through a voice voter, so now it heads to a full House vote.

We anticipate the next step is that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will markup S. 2766, potentially on Wednesday May 21st. From there, the bill can go to the full Senate for a vote. Then the bill is expected to voted on in the House.

In the next few days it's important for the 19 members on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to hear from their constituents in their home states. If you live in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming, one of your Senators is on this critical committee! Please pick up the phone or email NOW! Even if you have contacted them before on this issue, we need them to hear your voice again.


May 15, 2008

Thanks to lots of help we now have co-sponsors on the new S. 2766 "The Clean Boating Act of 2008". Please take a look at this list below to view current co-sponsors. If you don't see your two Federal Senators Click here to send an email or Click here for phone numbers to call. We really need volume right now!
Current Co-sponsors of S. 2766

Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] Sen Bond, Christopher S. [MO]
Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH]
Sen Bunning, Jim [KY] Sen Burr, Richard [NC]
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [MD] Sen Carper, Thomas R. [DE]
Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA] Sen Cochran, Thad [MS]
Sen Coleman, Norm [MN] Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME]
Sen Corker, Bob [TN] Sen Craig, Larry E. [ID]
Sen Crapo, Mike [ID] Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT]
Sen Dole, Elizabeth [NC] Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA]
Sen Isakson, Johnny [GA] Sen Kohl, Herb [WI]
Sen Landrieu, Mary L. [LA] Sen Levin, Carl [MI]
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD] Sen. Nelson, Bill [FL]
Sen Reed, Jack [RI] Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME]
Sen Specter, Arlen [PA] Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI]
Sen Vitter, David [LA] Sen Voinovich, George V. [OH]
Sen Webb, Jim [VA] Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI]
Sen Wicker, Roger F. [MS]
March 19, 2008

EPA Discharge Permit Requirement for Recreational Boats

Background:
For 34 years the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has exempted discharges from recreational boats from the Clean Water Act permit system. Regretfully, a fall 2006 U.S. District Court ruling cancelled this permit exemption. EPA is now required by the court decision to develop and implement by September 30, 2008 a national permit system for ALL vessels in the United States for a variety of normal operational discharges.

The original lawsuit that led to this court decision sought to address ballast water discharges from large ocean-going ships, which can introduce damaging aquatic invasive species into U.S. waters. Keeping our waterways clean and preventing the spread of invasive species is of utmost importance to the future of boating. But taking a complex permitting system designed for industrial dischargers and applying it to recreational boats will not yield significant environmental benefits and it will come at a very high cost. Requiring recreational boaters to purchase a permit would not prevent the spread of invasive species.

If the permit system becomes a reality, you will be required to pay for a state permit for each of your boats. EPA will be potentially monitoring your deck runoff, grey water, bilge water, engine cooling water, and the use of copper bottom paints.

It is important to note that there are already federal laws restricting the overboard discharge of oil, fuel, garbage and sewage. The proposed legislation will not alter any of these existing restrictions.

March 19, 2008

NEW SPRING INFORMATION FOR BOATERS AND ANGLERS!
We have a new bill, S. 2766, "The Clean Boating Act of 2008", that we need your help to support. This bill will provide a permanent exemption for recreational boaters, anglers, and charter boats, from the looming EPA discharge permit requirement.
Over the last 8 months or so, many people have taken the time to support S. 2067 or H.R. 2550 "The Recreational Boating Act of 2007". This new bill, S. 2766 has the best chance of gaining widespread political support from both Democrats and Republicans. It includes all the former contents of S. 2067 and H.R. 2550 as well as a provision to exempt charter boats from the permit and to required EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard to determine reasonable and practical management practices for discharges.

We urge every boater, anger, and boat owner to click on the following links to learn more about this new legislation. Please take a few minutes and let your federal Senators and Congressmen know about the importance of boating in your life, and ask them to co-sponsor or support this new legislation. Remember that if we don't get legislation passed, we all need to get EPA permits to operate our boats effective 9/30/08!

Click here to see our 3/19/08 press release

Click here to see today's Action Alert about S. 2766 "The Clean Boating Act of 2008" and to email your members of Congress

Click here for more information:
Background
What's the timing?
Why a new bill?
What are the differences in the bills?
What's S. 2766 include?
View S. 2766
Talking Points

[KFC911]

Does this mean I can't pee off the back of my bass boat anymore ?

[widgeon13]

I'm driving through Greensboro tomorrow on the way to New London, NC not in the Pcar though.

[Moses]

They should tax boats like crazy (because I don't have one.) It's the American way.

[KFC911]

Alas, I'll be at work in W-S...maybe I'll drive the 911 in your honor

[Porsche-O-Phile]

More "redistribution of wealth" B.S.

I'm so glad we live in a free country.

[the]

As the federal and state govts get broker and broker, we'll start seeing more and more taxes and fees on everything. When existing ones can't be raised any higher, new ones will be invented.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by the

As the federal and state govts get broker and broker, we'll start seeing more and more taxes and fees on everything. When existing ones can't be raised any higher, new ones will be invented.

But why is the federal gov broke?
Who has spent all that tax money well into the future?
Who can we blame?

(wait for it)........

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by john70t

but Why Is The Federal Gov Broke?
Who Has Spent All That Tax Money Well Into The Future?
Who Can We Blame?

(wait For It)........:d

Dem-o-crats

[djmcmath]

Gov't is too big -- surprise surprise. I hate this nonsense -- why can't they spend money efficiently? Why can't they be responsible with my money? Crazy.

Ok, so what about sail boats? I own a small sailboat -- no engine -- will I have to get EPA certifcation to take it out on the water?

What bullocks...

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

EPA Discharge Permit Requirement for Recreational Boats

Background:
For 34 years the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has exempted discharges from recreational boats from the Clean Water Act permit system. .................
It is important to note that there are already federal laws restricting the overboard discharge of oil, fuel, garbage and sewage. The proposed legislation will not alter any of these existing restrictions.

Laws on top of laws when people can least afford it.

Smells like low tide to me.

[Rick Lee]

This is a textbook example of why lobbyists are needed. How effective are the handful of boaters who write the Congressmen gonna be? Nonsense like this gets killed when the lobbyists step in.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

This is a textbook example of why lobbyists are needed. How effective are the handful of boaters who write the Congressmen gonna be? Nonsense like this gets killed when the lobbyists step in.

This is the product of environmental lobbyist, right?

I say we take all the lobbyist and make them fight in cages like the animals they are.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by kach22i

This is the product of environmental lobbyist, right?

I say we take all the lobbyist and make them fight in cages like the animals they are.

No, this is a product of the lack of lobbyists' influence in writing rules that bypass Congress or get slipped into some other bill no one reads. It's an example of unelected bureaucrats who think they know what's best for us writing rules that would never pass Congressional scrutiny.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by kach22i

This is the product of environmental lobbyist, right?

I say we take all the lobbyist and make them fight in cages like the animals they are.

Don't think the EPA has the power to pass laws, why would you lobby them in the first place? Lobbyists grease the Congress, not their underlings.

I have written to both Boxer and Feinstein on many occasions. On the rare event that they respond, invariably it is to let me know that they are going to do whatever the hell they were intending to do prior to my correspondence.

I have not had representation in the Senate or House for many years.

[The Gaijin]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

a fall 2006 U.S. District Court ruling cancelled this permit exemption. EPA is now required by the court decision to develop and implement by September 30, 2008 a national permit system for ALL vessels in the United States for a variety of normal operational discharges.

The original lawsuit that led to this court decision sought to address ballast water discharges from large ocean-going ships.....

No to comment on the state of our waters and if they should be cleaner or not - any if any of these new laws impacting recreational boaters will make any difference..

It is just they way they go about it bothers me. A court can force an unelected agency to implement permit system - for anything??

It is a death by a million cuts to our democratic system and way of life. When they come against our ammendment rights - this is the way they are going to do it.

[john70t]

I'm divided on this.
A while back I lived on a lake on the Huron river, and can personally attest to the sandy bottom being un-walkable in bare feet due to clumps of sharp zebra mussels carpeting everything, including engines and hulls. Our side of the shoreline consisted of fields of jello-like green algae which made snorkling a bit of a challenge.
The situation got noticable better a year or two after the EPA started enforcing the bidge-discharge policy.

-So a federal agency wants to add their sphere of enforcement, and taxes? No suprise there.
-Are the internatinal invasive species that much of a threat to local habits? Probably.
-Can the federal government be more effective than local/state enforcement? Ummmabye... for the bigger cases.

Just as the sunfish sport in many lake was ruined by spiking with pike, international species have the potential to quickly spread to local habitats. 2-stroke engines on large boats also have the potential for screwing up the water very quickly.
The parks commision and EPA should be consentrating on giving consumers an alternative as well, and representing themselves as guardians and not enforcers. No snowmobiles in Yellowstone? Well, make one nearby etc, etc...