EPA
Discharge Permit Requirement for Recreational Boats
From Boat/U.S. this is an important issue that
will affect all boaters.
Your voice counts! And we need it to make
sure the Recreational Boating Act of 2007 is passed quickly. Without this
federal legislation you will need to apply and pay for a discharge permit to
legally operate each of your boats, starting September 30, 2008.
Please take a few minutes and contact your one Representative and two
Senators, even if you have already done so. We need them to support and
co-sponsor "The Recreational Boating Act of 2007" (House Bill #2550
and Senate Bill #2067).
BoatUS has been working with other boating groups
to pass this legislation which will eliminate (for recreational boats only)
the new court-imposed EPA permit. We know that boating depends on clean water
and healthy natural resources. However, a boat permit will not create a
tangible environmental benefit, and it will be another inconvenience and tax
for you.
It is important to note that all current environmental restrictions on the
overboard discharge of oil, fuel, garbage, and sewage still stand, and will
not be altered by this legislation.
Help boating by contacting your Representative and Senators:
- Ask that they co-sponsor
and support House Bill #2550 and Senate Bill #2067 which reinstate the
common sense discharge permit exemption for recreational boats.
- Help them understand the
looming permit deadline of 9/30/08.
- If one of your Members of
Congress is co-sponsoring the bill, please say thanks!
Click here to see co-sponsors for the House Bill (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR02550:@@@P)
The 10 co-sponsors on the Senate Bill are: Martinez (FL), Bunning (KY),
Chambliss (GA), Dole and Burr (NC), Isakson (GA), Sessions (AL), Cornyn and Hutchison (TX), and Lott (MS).
Click here to email your Representative. (http://www.house.gov/writerep/)
Click here to email or call your Senators (http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?OrderBy=state&Sort=ASC)
Click here to read the House bill text (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.2550:)
Click here to read the Senate bill text (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:S.2067:)
For background information:
http://www.boatus.com/gov/fed_alert.asp
Thanks for adding your voice to this critical boating issue.
Margaret Podlich
Vice President, Government Affairs
BoatUS
GovtAffairs@BoatUS.com
703-461-2878 x8363
P.S. We know that we are asking you to take several steps to email your
Members of Congress, and we hope that you'll persevere through it.