September 11, 2009

Great News for Great Loop Cruisers: Coast Guard To Allow Recreational Boats To Transit The Chicago Ship Canal Fish Barrier

Following several weeks of effort by BoatU.S. and the America's Great Loop Cruisers Association, new procedures were announced today by the U.S. Coast Guard to reopen the Chicago Ship Channel electric fish barrier. Since the middle of August unescorted recreational boats have been prohibited from moving through this area due to an increase in its voltage.

  

BoatU.S. greatly appreciates the coordination of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers to both prevent Asian Carp from reaching the Great Lakes and to accommodate continued navigation by recreational and commercial boats.

 

There are specific safety requirements and no boats under 20' are allowed.  Click here  for information from the Coast Guard on these procedures. 

 

September 11, 2009

National Park Service Proposing Changes to Fisheries Management in Biscayne National Park

The National Park Service (NPS) is developing a new fisheries management plan for Biscayne National Park. Of the five proposed alternative plans, three of them could make significant changes in sportfishing regulations and would require all boats engaged in any recreational activity in the Park to have a recreational use permit.

Click here for additional information.

 

September 3, 2009

New Canadian Boater Education Requirement Could Impact U.S. Boaters

Effective September 15, 2009, Canada is requiring all operators of recreational craft in Canada obtain a “Pleasure Craft Operator Card.” It may or may not apply to boaters from the United States depending on several factors:

This requirement does apply to non-residents:

• If they operate their pleasure craft in Canadian waters for more than 45 consecutive days or,
•If they operate a pleasure craft that is licensed or registered in Canada (including rented or chartered boats).

For non-residents who are required to comply with this requirement the following methods can be used to show proof of competency:

• A Canadian-issued pleasure craft operator card.
• A completed boat rental safety check-list (for power-driven rental boats).
• An operator card or equivalent that meets the requirements of their state or country.

Additional information can be found at the following website: http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/debs/obs/quick/quick_visitor.htm

For more information on travel to and from Canada by boat, go to the following BoatUS webpage: Customs and U.S. Border Travel Information for Recreational Boaters

July 28, 2009

NEW BoatUS Anchoring Information for Florida Cruisers!

For several years, certain local cities and counties in Florida have been restricting the length of time that boats are allowed to anchor. Legislative changes were made recently to Florida law which should increase the boater’s ability to anchor within Florida. Some changes take effect July 1, 2009 and others on October 1, 2009. 

Unfortunately, many local law enforcement personnel appear to be unaware of the changes. Boaters continue to be told by some officials that they are subject to anchoring limits.

BoatU.S. has researched and written a fact sheet about the anchoring portions of the law, with citations. If you or a friend are cruising in Florida and intend to put down a hook, we strongly advise you to read this sheet and carry it with you on the boat. Click here for the Anchoring Information Sheet.

Ethanol-15 in Fuel - Comment period extended to July 20
Strong pro-ethanol advocates are pushing the Obama Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase ethanol levels in gasoline to 15% (E15). As you may have read in BoatUS Magazine, ethanol at the currently allowed 10% (E10) level has been shown to cause significant problems for some marine engines and boat fuel systems.

May 18, 2009

Comment Period Extended to July 20 - EPA has extended the comment period for E15 to July 20. Please take the time now to email EPA, if you haven’t already, asking them to test E15 before allowing it for use.

Click Here To send comments directly to the EPA!

Click Here To read the BoatUS Article - A Serious Problem, A Corny Solution

Click Here To read Ethanol Industry's 15% Solution Raises Concern from May 8, 2009

Click Here To read Laboratory Will Not Certify Pumps for Gas With 15% Ethanol from May 8, 2009

Click Here To read EPA Considers Higher Ethanol Mix from April 17, 2009

Click Here To read A Slugfest Over Higher Ethanol Blends from March 6, 2009

Click here to view the March 26th, 2009 Coalition letter to EPA from BoatUS and others!

Click here to view BoatUS Press Release: Boaters Urged to Speak Up on Ethanol Increase Before July 20 Deadline

June 2009

USCG Appropriations Bill to Continue LORAN

S1194 reauthorizes the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2010 and 2011. Section 603 maintains LORAN-C and allows for the growth for eLORAN.

Working Waterfronts Bill Needs Congressional Co-sponsors

May 2009

A bill in Congress that would provide federal funding to coastal and Great Lakes states to help preserve and expand water access and protect their working waterfronts needs cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives. H.R. 2548, the Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act of 2009, introduced in May by Rep. Chellie Pingree, (D-ME), would provide matching grants through state coastal zone management programs to support “water dependent commercial activities.”

The bill, cosponsored by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), incorporates key elements of a strategy to preserve access that attendees at the Working Waterways and Waterfronts symposium developed in May 2007 (see “Access Summit Shares Solutions,” BoatU.S. Magazine, July 2007). The bill is particularly timely in that it would amend the federal Coastal Zone Management Act, now up for congressional reauthorization.

Local governments to use grant funds could purchase a threatened marina outright or a non-profit entity could obtain a grant to buy development rights in order to keep a working boatyard in business, rather than see it sold for residential development.

Grants made under the Pingree bill must “provide for expansion or improvement of public access to coastal waters” and be matched at 25% by non-federal funds. The act would authorize $25 million, $50 million and $75 million to the states over three successive years.

Rep. Pingree is seeking cosponsors for H.R. 2548 and boaters can help get this landmark legislation passed by urging their own members of Congress to sign-on. To contact your member of Congress, click here.

March 2009

Big Ocean Bill Moving in Congress

A major piece of ocean legislation is moving through the 111th Congress and could get strong support after languishing in the last Congress.

The Ocean Conservation, Education And National Strategy for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 21), now simply dubbed “Oceans 21,” had its first hearing in the House June 18. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), is based on policy recommendations put forth by the Pew Oceans Commission in 2003 and the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy the following year.

The bill would, among other things, establish a national ocean policy, codify the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as an independent federal agency, establish regional ocean governance models and create an ocean advisor to the president. To read the full bill text: Click Here

Click here to read testimony of witnesses in the June 18 hearing before the House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.

June 9, 2009

The Coastal Commission Staff have issued the following Project Description:

In the proposed City of Dana Point Amendment request, the City proposes to amend the Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan to incorporate the proposed Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Plan (replacing those sections of the Dana Point Specific Plan relevant to the Dana Point Harbor (1986 LCP), that would establish new land use designations and boundaries throughout the harbor; expand allowable development by approximately 153,000 square feet (all uses) including commercial development (+7,300 square feet retail/+50,000 square feet restaurant), enlarged hotel (136 rooms to 220 rooms) plus conference facilities, new marine retail (9,100 square feet), among other expanded uses; change parking requirements; reduce space allocated for surface boat storage; and change height limits to allow for 65 ft. high dry stack storage building for 400 boats and up to 60 ft. high commercial buildings.

Click here to read more

May 22, 2009

Effort to Preserve Cal Boating Continues after Proposal Taken off Agenda

Sacramento – Thanks to boaters' grassroots action the California Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee #2 removed from its May 14 meeting agenda the Governor’s proposed elimination of the independent Department of Boating and Waterways – known as Cal Boating.But it's far from over! Every Cal boater should write their Assembly Member and Senator.

Click here to view more!

Clear Lake, Texas

April 10, 2009

Workshop for Recreational Boaters to Contribute to Ocean Observing System Development in the Gulf of Mexico.

Click Here and scroll down to Texas for more details!

March 31, 2009

Florida Update

There is a new version of HB 1423, not yet available through the legislature website, but click here to view all of it's 64 pages! (Remember that this bill format shows existing language in regular type. Deletions are shown crossed out while additions are underlined.)

BoatUS is in strong support of this legislation as it's written today, because it clarifies that the counties can work on the derelict vessel issue without hampering legitimate cruising. It also implements mandatory boating safety education for those born after January 1, 1988 and operation a boat with 10 hp or more. It repeals the FL fishing license shoreline exemption (so that FL anglers will not have o pay a second federal license fee.) It also sets up pilot mooring field projects with guidlines subject to a whole lot of public review.

Stand by as this issue continues to evolve.

April 7, 2009

Viginia No Discharge Zone Take Effect July 1, 2009

HB1774, which establishes a no discharge zone for vessels operating in designated areas, was signed by the Governor on 3/27 and will go into effect on July 1, 2009. Any vessels operating in these areas will be prohibited from discharging treated and untreated waste into the waters. However, the no discharge rule can only be established and enforced on tidal creeks where the US Environmental Protection Agency has determined that sufficient pumpout facilities exist for the removal of sewage.

March 19, 2009

Big Helping of Legislation on BoatUS Plate

Tallahassee bill includes boating safety, fishing licenses, and anchoring regulations

February 6, 2009

Action Needed: WA Boating Safety Funds in Jeopardy

Starting Monday, lawmakers in Olympia will vote on two bills, SB 5691 and HB 1848, that could jeopardize federal funding for boating safety programs that are critically important to Washington boaters.

These bills (which are identical) would move portions of current federal boating safety funds to more specifically focus on marine law enforcement programs. This would end up shortchanging other important boating safety and education programs. Additionally, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, it may jeopardize the State's Eligibility for this important federal funding.

Please contact your legislators now and ask them to vote NO on Senate Bill 5691 and House Bill 1848. Call the state legislative hotline; they’ll identify your legislators and leave messages for both the Senate and House.

Call now!

1-800-562-6000

M-F: 8 am to 8 pm, and Sat: 9 am to 1 pm

Click here and scroll to Washington for the rest of this statement from Margaret Podlich, V.P. of Government Affairs

To read the bills and see their status:

Senate: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5691&year=2009

House: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1848&year=2009

January 19, 2009

Boat Owners May Have Federal Tax Benefits Available

Recreational boat owners who paid state sales taxes on a boat purchase, or those who secured a bank loan to finance a boat, may have some tax deductions available when filing their 2008 federal income tax return.

Click Here for Full Details from the BoatUS News Room

July 30, 2008

EPA Discharge Permit Requirement for Recreational Boats

President Bush Signs Clean Boating Act of 2008!

It's a great day for boating! Last night on the way home from Ohio on Air Force One, the President signed S. 2766 "The Clean Boating Act of 2008" into law. This picture shows Representatives Steven C. LaTourette (R-OH), a champion of this common sense legislation and Patrick Tiberi (R-OH). Thank you to the thousands of boaters nationwide who helped get this important bill passed into law!

To view a copy of S. 2766, "The Clean Boating Act of 2008" Click Here.

Margaret Podlich

VP Government Affairs, BoatU.S.

Photo credited by Christopher Greenberg