Clean boating act exempts Rec. boaters.
07-23-2008 | 07:38 AM
#1
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,215
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From: Merritt Is. Fl. USA
Clean boating act exempts Rec. boaters.
Finally, some common sense coming from the Congress/Senate.
'Gray water' plan sinks in Congress
Recreational boats spared hefty fines
BY JIM WAYMER • FLORIDA TODAY • July 23, 2008
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Congress bailed out nearly 1 million Florida boaters, including about 40,000 in Brevard, on Tuesday who could have faced stiff fines under new rules this fall limiting the dirty waters that can spill overboard.
Lawmakers exempted recreational boats from proposed federal permits that would have made the discharges from vessel sinks, showers, engine cooling water and even just soapy suds from washing the boat subject to spot checks.
The permits proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would have been the first time such discharges from recreational boats were regulated under the Clean Water Act, after 35 years of being exempt.
EPA had planned the new permits to take effect Sept. 30.
But both houses of Congress gave their unanimous support Tuesday to the Clean Boating Act, cosponsored by Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., which restores the exemption for recreational boaters.
It now heads to the president for his signature.
"This was a matter of common sense," Nelson said in a statement. "Imagine: the federal government applying measures that cover big tankers to millions of little boats."
Bob Becker of Satellite Beach was thrilled. "Fantastic. That's the best news," said Becker, educational officer for the Banana River Sail and Power Squadron, a boating group. "Ninety-nine percent of the boaters adhere to not polluting anything. I think everybody's going to be extremely pleased."
Both houses of Congress on Tuesday also passed a separate measure establishing a 2-year moratorium on EPA's proposed permits for commercial fishing boats and for all other commercial boats under 79 feet. In the meantime, EPA will study the impact of such discharges.
'Gray water' plan sinks in Congress
Recreational boats spared hefty fines
BY JIM WAYMER • FLORIDA TODAY • July 23, 2008
Read Comments(2)Recommend Print this page E-mail this article
Share this article: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s this?
Congress bailed out nearly 1 million Florida boaters, including about 40,000 in Brevard, on Tuesday who could have faced stiff fines under new rules this fall limiting the dirty waters that can spill overboard.
Lawmakers exempted recreational boats from proposed federal permits that would have made the discharges from vessel sinks, showers, engine cooling water and even just soapy suds from washing the boat subject to spot checks.
The permits proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would have been the first time such discharges from recreational boats were regulated under the Clean Water Act, after 35 years of being exempt.
EPA had planned the new permits to take effect Sept. 30.
But both houses of Congress gave their unanimous support Tuesday to the Clean Boating Act, cosponsored by Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., which restores the exemption for recreational boaters.
It now heads to the president for his signature.
"This was a matter of common sense," Nelson said in a statement. "Imagine: the federal government applying measures that cover big tankers to millions of little boats."
Bob Becker of Satellite Beach was thrilled. "Fantastic. That's the best news," said Becker, educational officer for the Banana River Sail and Power Squadron, a boating group. "Ninety-nine percent of the boaters adhere to not polluting anything. I think everybody's going to be extremely pleased."
Both houses of Congress on Tuesday also passed a separate measure establishing a 2-year moratorium on EPA's proposed permits for commercial fishing boats and for all other commercial boats under 79 feet. In the meantime, EPA will study the impact of such discharges.
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07-23-2008 | 08:24 AM
#6
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 15,270
Likes: 21
From: Burlington, VT
A ton of us writing to our congressmen through a very well done campaign from a post here on OSO and many others I assume.
Here: http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...d.php?t=184948
Nothing that makes sense happens in Government unless we hold all there vital parts to the fire...
Here: http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...d.php?t=184948
Nothing that makes sense happens in Government unless we hold all there vital parts to the fire...
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