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FROM THE EDITORDear Clients and Friends;
COMING IN OCTOBER- SPECIAL REPORT ON-LINE IN MONACO '98 CQD has been invited to attend the first international symposium on marine pollution in 25 years to be held in Monaco Oct 5-9, 1998. This week long session
sponsored by the UN, the International Atomic Energy Agency, IMO and others will be packed with the leading scientists from over 70 nations of the world. These experts will be presenting in excess of 300 papers. Topics
include pollution from ships, pollution from recent oceanic nuclear weapons testing, global marine pollution studies and many more. We will be reporting first hand on a daily basis. Find the Monaco report at:
www.cqdjournal.com/monaco for coverage of the event.
Advanced details of the event and program are available now. We will be bringing this symposium to the Internet with assistance from Environmental News Network (ENN). ENN, experts in on-line environmental news coverage,
will be providing our reports at the site: www.yoto.com In addition to the scientific agenda in Monaco, the UN will be christening their new Marine Environmental Laboratory facilities. It is
the UN's only facility tailored to assist marine environmental research for member nations. CQD brings the Monaco symposium to the internet to give readers a chance to participate from your computers. We strongly urge you
to check out the site and e-mail us with sessions of particular interest. Thanks! Chris Swanson
Environmental Affairs
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Nautical Tourism Pollution ProgramsThe last issue discussed pollution from Nautical Tourism. To clarify any confusion, we mean pollution stemming from activities of boating and coastal
recreational activities. This includes activities such as:
- yachting, powerboating, sailboating, dive boats, sportsfishing, water cycles (jet skis), swimming, picnicking, hanging out at the beach and other recreational activities associated with waters.
We do not include industries such as:
- commercial/industrial traffic, ferries, commercial fishing, cruise liners or cruise ships.
Since it deals with many non-point source contributors, pollution from nautical tourism is distinctive from shipping problems. Because of the variety and quantity of input, the challenge to government organizations is
regulating. There are simply too many people to police. Therefore a pollution control plan needs voluntary cooperation to be effective. Successful nautical tourism pollution programs focus on education and
pollution prevention rather than regulations.
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Clean Vessel Act of 1992Some of the best "voluntary program" stories come from the U.S. Since the enactment of the Clean Vessel Act of 1992 (CVA) many private marinas
have used government assistance to self evaluate their pollution outputs. Neil W. Ross, President of Marine Environmental Education Foundation (MEEF), authored a December 1997 supplement to Boating Industry Magazine
entitled "American Success Stories." Ross points out that thanks to funding from the Wallop-Breaux portion of the CVA, marinas have been able to use federal grants to build or renovate pump out stations and dumping
facilities. The Wallop-Breaux fund assists marinas by providing 75% of the start-up money for such projects. Unlike programs that only support public facilities, private marinas in 49 states have received about 70% of
the $38 million allocated to 1997. Figures to year end 1996:
- 1326 pumpouts installed, 1997 estimated= 600
- 475 dump stations installed, 1997 estim. = 800
The CVA of '92 is not only about pumpouts and dump stations. Many states have been working on marina and boater education as well. Ross tells us that "the boating public must understand the need for clean water
and accept individual responsibility for preventing sewage contamination from their boating. Education is as important as pumpout hardware if the goals of the Act are to be realized" (American Success Stories, pg. 31).
Some of the boating issues the U.S. marina industry and organizations such as MEEF are active in educating the public include:
- solid waste management
- sewage from boats - using holding tanks and encouraging pump out stations
- maintenance activities including painting, scraping, sanding, boat cleaning (chemicals)
- oil water problems - bilge waste, fuel spills
- fish waste
- recreational traffic - bottom scraping due to inappropriate anchorages, flora/fauna injuries, turbulence, shoreline erosion and noise.
Just how successful is this program? Well the EPA has been so impressed, they have recognized the Clean Vessel Act of 1992 and included it on their list of the most successful government environmental programs.
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National Clean Boating Week Rosehaven, MD
- July 11 - 19th, 1998 marked the first annual National Clean Boating Week. Marinas all over the U.S. participated in the weeks' events by recognizing the theme "Boating
is good clean fun. Let's keep it that way."Highlighted by beautiful weather conditions, the kick-off event was held at Herrington Harbour Marina on the Chesapeake Bay. Exhibitors displayed clean
boating equipment such as pump-out equipment (Edson International), fuel overflow & retention products (3M & Cachalot, Inc.), dust-less sanders and boat sanitation tanks
(EnviroMarine). Along with the US Coast Guard and US Fish and Wildlife Service, non-governmental organizations such as Chesapeake Bay Foundation handed out
boater educational material. Attendees were witnesses to the marina's commitment to environmental quality with improvements such as parking buffers that strain run-off through natural marsh buffers.
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Marina Award ProgramLarry Innis, Chair of the National Clean Boating Campaign, and Neil Ross announced a new environmental initiative called the Marina Award Program
. This national environmental excellence award will be granted to those marinas that meet specified standards of environmental quality and education of boaters. Winning marinas will receive a special flag to display
their achievements to boaters. Sponsored by MEEF and other organizations, the National Clean Boating Campaign strives to bring boaters' attention to their impact on water quality. Fact sheets on Boat sewage control and
pumpout use, fueling and bilge care, boating litter and fish waste, best management practices and boat maintenance are available upon request. The National Clean Boating Campaign can be found at: www.cleanboating.org
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Dunnage BitesNew US Dunnage restrictions Restrictions for importing dunnage into the U.S. may soon become tighter. Agricultural Secretary Dan Glickman will ban
wooden pallets from China into the U.S. in approximately 3 months. The reason - a recent surge in detection of the Asian Longhorned Beetle. As mentioned in CQD volume 4.1 & 4.2, the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anophophora glabripennis) is one of the major nuisance species of concern in worldwide dunnage. The Animal Plant
& Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection & Quarantine (Aphis, PPQ) have been closely monitoring imports from China for the last year or so. Recently, infestations in over 25 U.S. ports have been detected.
More serious, introductions in local hardwoods have been noted in places such as Brooklyn, NY and perhaps five other communities.In lieu of wooden pallets, shippers will be required to use alternate packaging such as cardboard,
plastic or manufactured chip composites. Additional information can be found at www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq.
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Neil Ross's full study is titled "The Clean Vessel Act of 1992, Pumpout Grant Program, American
Success Stories", US Fish & Wildlife Service, Arlington, VA, Feb. 1997. Portions are also in the supplement to Boating Industry Magazine, December 1997.
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CQD Journal for the Maritime Environment Industry is published by E.M. Miller Associates, Inc., Florham Park, NJ. www.cqdjournal.com
All rights reserved. Copyright 1999. |
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