Vito,

I think that we hear sewage is the problem so we believe it. I don't
disagree that specific areas like the Florida Keys have a problem but I
don't believe the general no discharge rule for boats is based in
science.

I dive with several of the Virginia environmental agents. These guys
are well educated and very experienced. They say that the big problem
is the polluted runoff from our roadways and parking lots (gas, oil,
transmission and brake fluid, etc.). Second is the nutrient runoff from
thousands of miles of river front farms and the lawns of homes from
fertilizer. All of this goes into our waterways either directly or thru
storm drains. There opinions come from long term real studies not just
hearsay. They don't say it point blank, but they insinuate that sewage
is very manageable by comparison. I would expect that it is probably
the same in the rest of the country.

This leaves me to conclude that the regulators either never get the true
scientific picture or are ignoring it, most probably for political
reasons.

I for one am tired of having to look hard to find pump out stations.
Remember how they told us there was going to be a one at almost every
marina. About the only time I go offshore is to dive, not frequent
enough to keep my holding tank empty. Boaters believed these hollow
promises and allowed this to happen. I don't know of any boating
organization who lobbies long and hard against this which is a shame
because collectively we are a large voting block.

So Back to the question. What can we do about this?