March 19, 2008

I received the following email today from BoatUS:

---------------------- quote ----------------------------



Dear BoatUS Member,

We need your help now to pass NEW federal legislation in the Senate that
would provide a permanent exemption for recreational boats from the upcoming
EPA discharge permit requirement. Remember that if we don't get legislation
passed, we all need to get EPA permits to operate our boats effective
9/30/08!

We appreciate the time that many of you have already taken to let your
Senators or Representatives know your support of S. 2067 or HR 2550 "The
Recreational Boating Act of 2007." Now there is a new Senate Bill #2766 "The
Clean Boating Act of 2008", which is more politically viable, and our best
chance to eliminate the permit requirement before it comes in effect on
September 30, 2008.

Please pick up the phone or email today and ask your Senators to sponsor and
vote YES for S 2766. Although Congress is on recess this week and next, we
need their staff to hear from us so that this bill can move as soon as the
Senators are back in Washington.

Remember to contact both of your Senators:
(Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Washington)

---------------------------- unquote -----------------------------

Looks like we all need to support this bill - unless we wish to be regulated
to death by the EPA.

Claus

Looks like we all need to support this bill - unless we wish to be
regulated
to death by the EPA.

Claus


Not having read it yet, and knowing full well the shananigans Senators
like to play, I am wondering if it doesn't contain language that will
screw us in some other way. Does Boat US have a synopsis on this version?

Red

On Mar 18, 2:06*pm, Red wrote:
Looks like we all need to support this bill - unless we wish to be
regulated
to death by the EPA.

Claus

Not having read it yet, and knowing full well the shananigans Senators
like to play, I am wondering if it doesn't contain language that will
screw us in some other way. Does Boat US have a synopsis on this version?

Red

So tell me again why I should support this boatus anti clean water
effort?

Bob

Bob wrote:


So tell me again why I should support this boatus anti clean water
effort?


Because the bill says that all recreational boaters will need to eat
their own turds. While that may be ok with you, think of the other guy.

Support it??? I am unsure what the bill is about. Is it engine emmissions?
Or is it waste (holding Tank) dumping? Why would I support a bill that
allows boaters (recreational or otherwise) to dump their turds into the
waterways that our children swin in and we fish for our dinner in?? With
the number of recreational boaters on our waterways... disgusting.

Perhaps one should post the bill, in it's entirity, before asking for
support.

Cindy


"Paul Cassel" wrote in message
. ..
Bob wrote:


So tell me again why I should support this boatus anti clean water
effort?


Because the bill says that all recreational boaters will need to eat their
own turds. While that may be ok with you, think of the other guy.

"Cindy" wrote in message
. ..
Support it??? I am unsure what the bill is about. Is it engine
emmissions? Or is it waste (holding Tank) dumping? Why would I support a
bill that allows boaters (recreational or otherwise) to dump their turds
into the waterways that our children swin in and we fish for our dinner
in?? With the number of recreational boaters on our waterways...
disgusting.

Perhaps one should post the bill, in it's entirity, before asking for
support.

Cindy


Stop being just another an ignorant twit, Cindy. Certainly YOU are capable
of finding and reading the legislation of concern on-line. But, since you
women are consistently inept when it comes to this sort of thing and you
tend to react with emotions rather than logic mostly because logic is a
foreign concept to most women, I shall render a concise summary for your
benefit.

The legislation (that all recreational boaters should support) excludes
recreational boaters from draconian discharge legislation already in place
whereby some law makers wish to include all recreational boats but has as
its original intent to regulate discharge from shipping where there is a
valid reason for such legislation. Due to the language of the requirements
for shipping, recreational boaters would not be allowed to discharge
ANYTHING into the surrounding waters. In other words you could not discharge
water you used to wash your deck, or dishes, or your body. You could not
throw food scraps into the water to feed the fishes. NOTHING could be
allowed to come from your boat - even clean bilge water and be allowed to go
into the surrounding water. You would have to have a holding tank for
everything.

The sewage issue is already covered and enforced by other existing state and
federal legislation. This potential new legislation is another layer on top
of that.

And for this stupidity you would be required to buy and display a sticker
that would cost you around 100 to 150 dollars a year. If you did not buy and
display the sticker you could be subject to large fines or have your boat
confiscated.Just another tax! Just more Big Brother tactics. And another law
that could not be enforced and would not be enforced due to lack of manpower
but a good way to raise revenue to fatten the paychecks of the bureaucrats.

Does this help your fluff-headed understanding of the situation? If not
consider you might have a small recreational skiff of say 18 feet in length.
You enjoy going out fishing or just cruising around seeing the sights or
sunbathing and having a beer or two and some barbeque. You anchor and go
swimming. But you won't be allowed to stand on the transom and wash your
hair or your body because some soap or shampoo would end up in the water.
You would not be able to toss any food scraps to the fish or seagulls. You
would not be able to pump your bilge or empty the water from your live well
tanks. You would not be able to wash the suntan oil off the deck even with
biodegradable soap. You would not be able to discharge anything from your
skill. And for this idiocy you would be paying big bucks for a sticker that
is nothing more than a tax.

Now, run along and do your nails or something . . .

Wilbur Hubbard

On Mar 19, 3:00�pm, Bob wrote:
On Mar 18, 2:06�pm, Red wrote:

Looks like we all need to support this bill - unless we wish to be
regulated
to death by the EPA.

Claus

Not having read it yet, and knowing full well the shananigans Senators
like to play, I am wondering if it doesn't contain language that will
screw us in some other way. Does Boat US have a synopsis on this version?

Red

So tell me again why I should support this boatus anti clean water
effort?

Bob

For many years the EPA exempted pleasure boats from complying with a
law that was drafted to prevent foreign ships from discharging
"ballast water" in US harbors. That law, applied to foreign ships, is
a good one.
Sometimes the ballast water is seriously polluted, or it may contain
foreign organisms that become invasive in a new environment.

An environmental group in Portland Oregon was suing the EPA over some
matter or another, and in the course of pronouncing a ruling the judge
also (and very surprisingly) included a statement that the EPA does
not have the authority to exempt pleasure boats from the same
discharge regulations that apply to commercial shipping. Even the
environmentalists bringing the suit were shocked at the ruling, as
this was not the outcome they were pursuing. If this ruling is
literally applied, *nothing* (!) can enter the water from a boat,
unless the boater has purchased a permit allowing it. By "nothing",
the rules will include
"those discharges incidental to the normal operation of a boat".

If you have an inboard or even an outboard engine, you cannot operate
it without discharging cooling water in the process. You would need a
permit to do so- so you would be reduced to rowing or sailing under
all circumstances without a pemit.

If you begin taking on water and need to activate your bilge pump,
forget it. Before you can begin evacuating water from the bilge you
must be certain that your permit is up to date, as the fines can run
as high as $32,000 per day if it is not.

Wash you boat? Heavens no. Not even with municipal water from a hose
and using no soap. That wash water will be carrying dirt from the hull
and decks into the lake or ocean below- and that's considered a
polluting discharge from a boat.

This is not an "anti clean water bill". Discharges of sewage, garbage,
petroleum products, etc will continue to be covered by existing rules
and regulations. The Clean Boating Act will simply prevent discharges
incidental to the normal operation of a boat (and not already
prohibited by law) from becoming subject to additional permits and
taxation.

The bill specifically authorizes the EPA to exempt pleasure boats from
the requirements that will still apply to commercial ships.

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
...
For many years the EPA exempted pleasure boats from complying with a
law that was drafted to prevent foreign ships from discharging
"ballast water" in US harbors. That law, applied to foreign ships, is
a good one.
Sometimes the ballast water is seriously polluted, or it may contain
foreign organisms that become invasive in a new environment.

An environmental group in Portland Oregon was suing the EPA over some
matter or another, and in the course of pronouncing a ruling the judge
also (and very surprisingly) included a statement that the EPA does
not have the authority to exempt pleasure boats from the same
discharge regulations that apply to commercial shipping. Even the
environmentalists bringing the suit were shocked at the ruling, as
this was not the outcome they were pursuing. If this ruling is
literally applied, *nothing* (!) can enter the water from a boat,
unless the boater has purchased a permit allowing it. By "nothing",
the rules will include
"those discharges incidental to the normal operation of a boat".

If you have an inboard or even an outboard engine, you cannot operate
it without discharging cooling water in the process. You would need a
permit to do so- so you would be reduced to rowing or sailing under
all circumstances without a pemit.

If you begin taking on water and need to activate your bilge pump,
forget it. Before you can begin evacuating water from the bilge you
must be certain that your permit is up to date, as the fines can run
as high as $32,000 per day if it is not.

Wash you boat? Heavens no. Not even with municipal water from a hose
and using no soap. That wash water will be carrying dirt from the hull
and decks into the lake or ocean below- and that's considered a
polluting discharge from a boat.

This is not an "anti clean water bill". Discharges of sewage, garbage,
petroleum products, etc will continue to be covered by existing rules
and regulations. The Clean Boating Act will simply prevent discharges
incidental to the normal operation of a boat (and not already
prohibited by law) from becoming subject to additional permits and
taxation.

The bill specifically authorizes the EPA to exempt pleasure boats from
the requirements that will still apply to commercial ships.


Thank you, sir. Even Cindy fluff for brains might be able to understand the
situation now. You provided a most accurate and excellent summary! How is it
that there are so many stupid, liberal judges around to cause problems with
our liberties?

Wilbur Hubbard

"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in message
anews.com.
..
snipped.

How is it that there are so many stupid, liberal judges around to cause
problems with
our liberties?

Correct me if I am wrong, but I am under the impression that in USA judges
have to get elected.
That being so, who would elect a stupid,liberal judge?
Hard to imagine isn't it?