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This info taken from a staff article in NY Outdoors News dated 2/22/08. I have also taken to liberty of borrowing much of the actual wording the Outdoors News used in the article. I take no credit for this information. I only want to pass it on since I never heard a thing about it. I THINK IF YOU OWN A BOAT...PAY ATTENTION.
A new EPA regulation on "BALLAST water discharge" may cause a permit to be neccessary by just about every boat on the water. The fee could cost several hundred dollars covering 1-5 years. This is a result of a 2006 court ruling that led EPA to develope a discharge permit system for all vessels in the United States which covers discharges from ships and boats of all sizes. As per Doug Stang, DEC Asst. Dir. of Fish and Wildlife and Marine Resources, any discharge from a boat must be treated and/or fall under certain guidlines. The point is to control invasive species from ballast water but it may "throw the recreational boaters under the bus as well." There is an apparent recreational boating interest push for an exemption to this rule to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as it relates to recreational vessels.
HR 2550 (intro by US Rep. Gene Taylor & Candice Miller both of Michigan) would allow rec. boaters to fish & boat as last year. It would make the 34 year EPA exemption 'for normal operational discharges' permanant law.
HR 2550 co-sponsored by Rep Charles Rangel of NY was reffered last year to the House Subcommitte on Water Resources and has not been scheduled to vote.
The Court Decision stems from a 1999 case where certain Env. groups filed a lawsuit afgainst the EPA with intent to control aquatic invasive species being spread in ballast water on Commercial ships. Later NY with others joined the suit. It was aimed at Commercial vessels but he Judges ruling mandated permits for RECREATIONAL BOATERS as well.
EPA is appealing the decision.
BoatUS officials are urging recreational boaters write thier US Representatives and Senators to lend support to HR 2550.
A new EPA regulation on "BALLAST water discharge" may cause a permit to be neccessary by just about every boat on the water. The fee could cost several hundred dollars covering 1-5 years. This is a result of a 2006 court ruling that led EPA to develope a discharge permit system for all vessels in the United States which covers discharges from ships and boats of all sizes. As per Doug Stang, DEC Asst. Dir. of Fish and Wildlife and Marine Resources, any discharge from a boat must be treated and/or fall under certain guidlines. The point is to control invasive species from ballast water but it may "throw the recreational boaters under the bus as well." There is an apparent recreational boating interest push for an exemption to this rule to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as it relates to recreational vessels.
HR 2550 (intro by US Rep. Gene Taylor & Candice Miller both of Michigan) would allow rec. boaters to fish & boat as last year. It would make the 34 year EPA exemption 'for normal operational discharges' permanant law.
HR 2550 co-sponsored by Rep Charles Rangel of NY was reffered last year to the House Subcommitte on Water Resources and has not been scheduled to vote.
The Court Decision stems from a 1999 case where certain Env. groups filed a lawsuit afgainst the EPA with intent to control aquatic invasive species being spread in ballast water on Commercial ships. Later NY with others joined the suit. It was aimed at Commercial vessels but he Judges ruling mandated permits for RECREATIONAL BOATERS as well.
EPA is appealing the decision.
BoatUS officials are urging recreational boaters write thier US Representatives and Senators to lend support to HR 2550.
