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Maryland Clean Marinas Underway
December, 2015 |
Greetings!
If you use social media, please follow Maryland DNR on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, or Flickr. Look for us under the name "Access DNR." These pages provide up to the moment information about happenings across Maryland, in our State Parks, and on our waterways.
Newsletter story ideas are always welcome and should be sent to [email protected]
Happy holidays and best wishes for the new year!
Clean Marina Program Manager
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| Charlie Gast & Mary Jacobs proudly display their Award |
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General Discharge Permit for Marinas Due for Renewal
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Managers and staff of marine facilities are encouraged to attend a Clean Marina Workshop this winter. The workshops will review the steps and benefits to becoming a certified Clean Marina and many free program materials will be provided.
Additionally, staff from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) will discuss the pending renewal of the General Permit for Discharges from Marinas, and look for feedback from current Permit holders.
The spread of aquatic invasive species in Maryland waters will also be on the agenda. Invasive species have already been found from the Susquehanna to Middle River, and in several of our western lakes. Recreational boats are the primary way aquatic invasive species are spread. Marinas can learn more and help DNR educate boaters on best ways to slow the spread of invasive species.
Tentative dates and locations:
- February 2 Easton
- February 10 Annapolis
- February 12 Baltimore County
Invitations and details will be sent to marinas by mail and posted on the Clean Marina website in January. If you have questions, contact [email protected] .
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Proposed No Discharge Zone for Chester River
At the request of the Chester River Association, the Maryland Departments of Natural Resources and the Environment applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for designation of the Chester River and its tributaries as a No Discharge Zone (NDZ). An NDZ is a body of water where boaters may not discharge treated waste from Type I or II marine sanitation devices. Raw sewage discharge is already illegal within 3 miles of the U.S. coast. At EPA's request, the application was refined and finalized in the fall of 2015. EPA expects the announcement to appear in the Federal Register and be available for further public comment in the near future. A final determination may be reached by the start of the 2016 boating season.
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Store Fuel? Remember to File Reporting Form this Winter
Facilities that can store 10,000 pounds of a hazardous material--which is about 1,500 gallons of fuel--are required by the Environmental Protection and Community Right-to-Know Act to report their fuel storage to emergency responders by March 1 each year. M arinas should mark their calendars and file in January or February. There are costly fines for not filing. Reporting must be done on-line to the State of Maryland and, in some counties, a paper form is also submitted to the Local Emergency Planning Commission and local Fire Department (if they are not one in the same). Click the link above to learn more. |
Boat US Foundation Grants
The BoatUS Foundation Grassrooots Grants Program is an online grant program which makes funds available to small, local nonprofit organizations, boating clubs and student groups for projects that promote safe and/or clean boating on local waterways. The Foundation is looking for unique project ideas to reach recreational boaters with safety and/or clean boating messages. Information designed for boaters and delivered to boaters should be a key component of the project, not an afterthought. The maximum grant request allowed is $10,000. Applications will be available in January 2016. To learn more visit http://www.boatus.org/grants/
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