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Important Boating Legislation
Most people really hate to write letters to their representatives in congress. We usually write when the pain of governance becomes too great. Well, pain is on the horizon.
The traditional pollution exemption from the Clean Water Act for normal recreational boating activities – deck runoff (from boat washing), grey water and discharge from normal engine operation -- was removed in a decison by a Federal District Court. In the absence of any action by Congress, the following is likely:
1. You will probably be required to apply for a permit -- more paperwork.
2. Permits are usually a product of some kind of bureaucratic regulation, so another (new) govenment agency will have to be created to administer this newly discovered hazard to the environment. I expect they will want to do more than just keep track of the permits -- they will want to regulate.
3. This will all cost money, so, if there is any money left after purchasing fuel, boaters will have to pay for this regulation.
S. 2766, The Clean Boating Act of 2008 is a bill that will put a stop to this silliness and continue the exemption of recreational boating from the no discharge regulations. If this is important to you, do not wait for the “other guy” to write a letter. Attached is a letter that you need to get out to Connecticut’s congressional delegation: two Senators, four Congressmen and a Congresswoman. You need to urge them to support S. 2766, The Clean Boating Act of 2008.
Send a letter to each one of these people:
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Senators Christopher J. Dodd and Joseph I. Lieberman
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510
Congressmen John B. Larson (1), Joseph Courtney (2), Rosa DeLauro (3),
Christopher Shays (4), and Christopher Murphy(5).
To make it easier, you can download a sample letter in either a MS Word or Word Perfect which you can rewrite/edit on your computer and send out. There are only a few months left to get this matter resolved, so get your letters off to our delegation now. The important message to them is: Please convince your fellow legislators to move this issue forward! Boat US and the National Marine Manufacturers Association are working very hard to get this bill passed but they and all of us need your help to make it happen. Please write your letters now.