IMPORTANT NEW clean boat act info, please act.

I picked this up from another website. I think it is very important to ACT NOW!!! At the bottom there are links to a video interview, FAQs, and how to contact your congressmen.
 
This is a New Bill re-worded, AND also to exempt CHARTER BOATS, CAPTAINS GET ON THIS.

What are the differences in the bills?

Both HR 2550 and S. 2067 articulate the definition of a recreational boat and then exempt recreational boats from the permit requirement of the Clean Water Act.

The new bill, S. 2766, includes all that language, with two additions. Charter boats are exempted from the permit and there is a three year, three part framework to determine if any management practices should be required.




March 19, 2008

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.
For more information:
http://www.boatus.com/gov/alert_0308.asp
Background
What's the timing?
Why a new bill?
What are the differences in the bills?
What does S 2766 include?
View a copy of the bill
Speaking points
To contact your Senators electronically

Thanks for your ongoing help with this issue.

Margaret Podlich
Vice President, Government Affairs
BoatUS
GovtAffairs@BoatUS.com
703-461-2878 x8355
 
What people need to understand is that if the new version of the bill is not passed ALL BOATERS will have to buy an EPA permit that could cost $800.00 or more. The EPA does not have a choice. As the law is written right now they MUST create a permitting system for ALL boats by September of this year. Obviously this will cripple the boating industry as well as recreation. Time is running out!

Watch the video:

http://www.boattest.com/nmma.aspx

Contact your members of congress:

http://www.rallycongress.com/boattest-dotcom/1064
 
http://www.boatblue.org/takeaction.aspx

It takes probably less than 5 minutes to login and make your voices heard.

Wow, I can't believe this one....
 
I will do my part.
 
One thing is for sure, $800.00 is a lot of cash. They won't get a DIME out of me. I don't care if I have to row my sorry butt 4 miles out!

Here is a short article about it from Boating World:
 
Proposed Clean Boating Act Of 2008 Spells Relief
By Jennifer Dennard
The proposed Clean Boating Act of 2008 — recently introduced by Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) — will create relief for recreational boaters and anglers from an impending court order that could require them to obtain a federal permit to operate their vessels.

The Clean Boating Act legislation — scheduled to be put into place in September 2008 if passed — restores an Environmental Protection Agency exemption for water-based, non-polluting incidental discharges such as engine coolant water and weather deck run-off that occur in the operation of a recreational boat. The proposed act makes a distinction between discharges from recreational boats and discharges from commercial ships.

The 2 magic names Boxer & Nelson - what else could you expect???

They are environmentalist wackos.  Does any of this surprise you? Expect more of this type of BS if a certain party wins the white house in november.

like to see somebody take 800 rolled up $1 bills and shove it up the $$$ of the criminal that thought this deal up.

WHY DO WE NEED MORE LAWS, WHEN IT IS ALREADY ILLEGAL TO POLLUTE WHETHER YOU'RE COMMERCIAL OR RECREATIONIST???

canoers,boaters,walkers,runners,hikers,bikers,fisherman,hunters,and any combination of the above.We are a minority and probably screwed.Too many people sit back and look for something to get ****ed about,STAND STRONG, we will prevail!!!!!

What's next, a clean wader law ????

Heres the response from Phil English
 
Dear Friend:

 
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for H.R. 2550, the Recreational Boating Act of 2007. It is good to hear from you.

 
Representative Gene Taylor introduced H.R. 2550 on May 24, 2007. This legislation would amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to redefine the term "pollutant" to exclude any deck runoff from a recreational vessel. This bill would declare however, that such exclusion does not apply to rubbish, trash, garbage, or any other such materials discharged overboard by a recreational vessel.

 
H.R 2550 has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for further review. Please be assured, should this legislation be brought to the House floor for a vote, I will keep your views in mind.

 
Again, thank you for contacting me to express your support for H.R. 2550. Please feel free to contact me in the future on this or any other issue of importance to you.


 
Sincerely,

 
Phil English
Member of Congress