| pshannon |
05-12-2008 11:30 PM |
Got this back yesterday from Senator Ben Cardin : [email protected]
Dear Mr. Shannon:
Thank you for contacting me in support of S. 2766, the Clean Boating Act of 2008 , of which I am a co-sponsor. I have long been an advocate for the recreational boaters of Maryland , who can find some of nature's most rewarding pleasures on the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its many tributaries.
For good reason , recreational boaters across the nation have been exempted from the Environmental Protection Agency's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements. Management of discharge water on small recreational vessels - such as engine cooling water, deck runoff, bilge water, and other gray water -- is often not feasible , and the damage such water discharges ha s on ecosystems and the water qualit y is minimal . If applied to small recreational vessels, NPDES permit requirements would be onerous and prohibitive to Maryland families who enjoy the rivers and waterways of the Chesapeake Bay .
For this reason, I have co-sponsored S. 2766, the Clean Boating Act of 2008, which was introduced by Senator Bill Nelson on March 13, 2008. This bill would amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify that no permit shall be required for the discharge from a recreational vessel of any gray water, bilge water, cooling water, weather deck runoff, oil water separator effluent , or effluent from properly functioning marine engines, or any other discharge that is incidental to the normal operation of a vessel . On March 13, 2008, this bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works , of which I am a member. P lease be assured that I will urge my colleagues on th e Committee to press for consideration of this important legislation.
I appreciate your sharing you views on this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me again about this or any other issue of concern to you. |
