Walsh Votes to Protect Recreational Boating

Press Release

WALSH VOTES TO PROTECT RECREATIONAL BOATING

Congressman Jim Walsh has voted to prevent recreational boaters from having to pay for federal permits and fines of up to $32,500 per day for boat deck run-off. The Clean Boating Act of 2008 amends the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Water Act to exclude leisure boats from the new rules which are aimed at regulating ballast water in large ships.

"Yes, we must prevent invasive species from coming into our lakes and rivers in boat ballast water. But they are not coming here on a boat that's being used by families for fishing and waterskiing," Congressman Walsh said. "These fines and permits are now only applicable to large ocean-going ships, and not the almost 58,000 boat owners in Central New York."

The ballast water in large ships has been blamed for transporting invasive species like zebra mussels from Europe to the Great Lakes. The Clean Water Act will regulate how much ballast water can be discharged from ships.

The Cleaning Boating Act will also develop best management practices for recreational vessels to lessen any negative impacts that normal deck run-off - "graywater," "bilge water" and "cooling water" - could have.

Ballast water regulation on large ships takes effect on September 30th.

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