This was just sent out to our local club members, anyone know more about this?
1. Recreational Boating Act of 2007
Date: Sat May 10, 2008 12:09 pm ((PDT)) ~~~~IMPORTANT NOTICE~~~~ --------------------------------------------------On 10 May 2008 at 13:01, Jim Cuddy wrote: I belong to the Antique Boat Society. They are very upset about the above named act and the effect it will have on recreational boating in this country. It will require every boat owner to purchase a discharge permit no matter what kind of boat. It will be between $ 200 to $2000 per permit, per boat, per year, per state. If you trailed a boat to another state you would have to buy their permit to launch. Non compliance has a fine of $ 32,000 per day. This act started from a case in California (where else?) over the discharge of ballast water from a commercial ship. The environmentalists got involved and a Federal judge ruled it pertained to all boats. As I understand it, it would even apply to sailboats without an auxiliary engine, due to runoff from water of of the decks. It is one of the silliest laws I have heard. There is a Senate Bill 2766 in the Environment and Public Works Committee in Washington that has to be submitted to the full Senate for vote with the approval of the House. This bill clarifies the act and includes exemptions for recreational boaters. There are not enough Senators on board to vote the bill out of committee. Neither of the South Carolina Senators are involved. If Bill 2766 is not out of the Committee and voted on by September 31, the Act of 2007 will be in effect Oct. 1, 2008. If we know any Senators we should contact them. You probably knew all of this already, but I thought I would mention it as it will effect our members. Jim Cuddy
There is a lot more information about this at Boat U.S., http://www.boatus.com/gov/
Since they can't get Congress to do anything about voting for the
Recreational Boating Act of 2007,
the boating community has now introduced the
Clean Boating Act of 2008
in defense of our interests. How can our representatives turn down anything that uses the word
Clean
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The whole thing is ridiculous. But I'm thankful that Boat U.S. lobbies so hard for causes like this.
I attend quite a few races in the U.S., does this mean that I will have to purchase a discharge permit every time I race in a different state, even though I am a visitor from out of country.
Do they plan to enforce this act's provisions on the Great Lakes and other international waterways, could be interesting.
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 . 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 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 Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI]
Sen Wicker, Roger F. [MS]