EPA Regulations = Higher Taxes Through Boat Permits

[Pierless]

All,

Please read the article below my sign-off. I know it's long, but it concerns YOU, YOUR BOAT and new legislation aimed at making it a LOT more difficult and expensive to own/operate your boat. If you begin reading, you'll have blood pressure problems by mid article.

My biggest surprise? I actually agree w/Schumer on something!!!

Supposedly, there are no "bad guys" here. However, if you go to the "www.boatblue.org" site it makes writing your congressmen/women very, very, easy. Bad guys, or not, writing makes the most sense of you want your voice to be heard.

It is my personal belief that outdoorsmen, hunters, fishermen and the like are the TRUE conservationists. The environmentalist whackos on the other coast of this nation are taking your favorite pastime away from you, or at the very least, making it a lot more expensive.

Boating (fishing) is expensive, but at least it's still pleasurable. Passing this legislation will make it yet more expensive and far less pleasurable.

One of my favorite things to say is, "See you on the water!"

Maybe this is our last year on the water,.....

Keep your powder dry for the seemingly inevitable battle against our judicial system running amok and overturning/overruling the will of the people.

Best Regards,

Pierless

Neil

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Advocates for recreational boat owners are urging anyone opposed to the new EPA rule to visit www.boatblue.org and urge members of Congress to support the Clean Boating Act of 2008, which would exempt small boats from water discharge permits.

Schumer wants to drop boat permit

New EPA regulation treats pleasure boats the same as large ocean liners.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

By Delen Goldberg

Staff writer

Unless Congress acts this summer, Central New York's 58,000 recreational boat owners will need to buy new federal permits to boat after September or face fines of up to $32,500 a day.

Same with boaters in every other part of New York and the nation.

A new Environmental Protection Agency rule, set to kick in Sept. 30, will force recreational boaters to obtain the same permits that oil tankers, freight ships and ocean liners are required to have. The permits regulate the amount of pollution the vessels give off and curb the discharge of ballast water, a major contributor to the spread of invasive species.

A California courtdecided in 2006 that the EPA should be accountable for ballast water regulations. As a result, the EPA announced across-the-board rules for large commercial ships and pleasure craft alike.

"That is the most ridiculous thing in the world," said Mike Bonus, a Brewerton captain and owner of Marine 2000, a local boat equipment and repair shop. "It makes no sense. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. The more legislation you throw out there, the less people are going to boat."

Many lawmakers in Washington agree, including Sen. Charles Schumer.

Schumer visited Brewerton on Monday to speak out about the new EPA rule and urge people to rally in favor of the Clean Boating Act of 2008, which would exempt recreational boat owners from having to obtain the federal permits.

"Just as the boating season is starting, Washington, in its usual fashion, is throwing up a new storm cloud," Schumer said in front of a group of about 50 boaters and residents gathered in front of a boat launch on Oneida Lake. "This impending regulation defies every iota of reason."

If the new rule takes hold, the EPA will regulate not only ballast water, but any other water discharges from vessels as well. That could include rainwater run-off, engine cooling water and any other water that might slosh over a boat's gunwales. Even a person hosing off a boat deck could face problems.

Boaters caughtwithout discharge permits would face fines of up to $32,500 a day.

"Are there going to be inspectors up and down the line, subjecting huge fines?" Schumer asked. "So where's the pleasure in pleasure boating?"

Schumer said he supports pollution limits for big ships. But, he argued, small, private boats cause nowhere near the environmental damage that large tankers and ocean liners do.

"If these new regulations go into effect, the vibrant recreational boating industry will collapse," Schumer said.

And that's big business in Central New York.

The boating industry pumps more than $133 million a year into the Central New York economy, Schumer said, and creates almost 870 jobs in the region.

"Central New York boaters and anglers play a central role in the economy," said Maureen Doyle, vice president of the Boating Industries Association of Upstate New York. "It's not just about the boaters paying a fee or not. It's also about the trickle-down effect."

Environmental committees in the House and Senate have already endorsed the Clean Boating Act. Schumer hopes to get all of Congress on board and pass final legislation with "unanimous consent," meaning it won't need to be debated on the floor.

"Our goal is to pass the legislation by July 4," Schumer said. "We are making good progress, but you never know what will happen. The Senate works in mysterious ways."

Delen Goldberg can be reached at [email protected] or 470-2274.

[btfc1752]

A California courtdecided in 2006 that the EPA should be accountable for ballast water regulations. As a result, the EPA announced across-the-board rules for large commercial ships and pleasure craft alike

The same court that allows GAY MARRIAGES, even tho the people of that state voted against it. THE LIBERIAL LEFT WING JUDGES WHO MAKE THERE OWN RULES ARE GOING TO SEND THIS COUNTRY DOWN THE TUBES. I vote repub just for this kind of issue. We need to vote for people who will defend the sportsmen of this country, or we might not need our boats, because we won't have fishing or hunting either.