Boaters Note: There has been a bill submitted in both houses of the Maryland State Legislature to make all the waters in the State of Maryland a No Discharge Zone. this would make the use of Lectra/San units illegal on most of the Chesapeake Bay. While the legislators, who haven't a clue, think they're doing something good - it won't likely turn out that way if the bill is passed. Making the Bay holding tank-only will simply force the boaters to empty their tanks into the bay UNTREATED when they are full, rather than discharging small amounts of treated sewage in various places.
There aren't nearly enough pumpout stations on the Chesapeake to service the boats with installed heads, and a good percentage of those that are there aren't operable or aren't available year-round. So what's a guy to do when his holding tank is full? Look left. Look right. If the coast is clear and nobody's looking, turn on the macerator pump and empty the tank into the Bay. Pumpout stations are usually next to the fuel dock, and the water isn't always deep enough to accomodate a sailboat...
Here's an article, writeen by Tom Neale that was published in the May, 1998 issue of Cruising World Magazine, that was written in opposition to the State of Rhode Island going No discharge, back in 1998. He owns the rights to the article and gave me permission to use it in any way I felt might be beneficial to the cause,
Tom Neale article from Cruising World Magazine, from their May, 1998 issue. This was originally written in opposition to the entire state of Rhode Island going No Discharge (which they did anyway). It's a good read, and the same basic issues and concerns still apply today, 12 years later.
I contacted Tom recently, and he still owns the rights to the article, and gave me persission to use it in any way I thought might be beneficial to the cause. It's a pretty good read.
http://www.raritaneng.com/information/news/Tom_Neale.htm
Any of you that have a Type I or Type II treatment system on your boat, would no longer be allowed to use them on the Chesapeake if this bill is passed. Only holding tanks would be permitted. I'd encourage those of you who boat on the Chesapeake, and have treatment systems, to contact the appropriate legislators and committe members and try and nip this in the bud. It's scheduled for introduction in early March, so time is short! I'll try and get a list of the legislators who are pushing the bill and post them later.
There aren't nearly enough pumpout stations on the Chesapeake to service the boats with installed heads, and a good percentage of those that are there aren't operable or aren't available year-round. So what's a guy to do when his holding tank is full? Look left. Look right. If the coast is clear and nobody's looking, turn on the macerator pump and empty the tank into the Bay. Pumpout stations are usually next to the fuel dock, and the water isn't always deep enough to accomodate a sailboat...
Here's an article, writeen by Tom Neale that was published in the May, 1998 issue of Cruising World Magazine, that was written in opposition to the State of Rhode Island going No discharge, back in 1998. He owns the rights to the article and gave me permission to use it in any way I felt might be beneficial to the cause,
Tom Neale article from Cruising World Magazine, from their May, 1998 issue. This was originally written in opposition to the entire state of Rhode Island going No Discharge (which they did anyway). It's a good read, and the same basic issues and concerns still apply today, 12 years later.
I contacted Tom recently, and he still owns the rights to the article, and gave me persission to use it in any way I thought might be beneficial to the cause. It's a pretty good read.
http://www.raritaneng.com/information/news/Tom_Neale.htm
Any of you that have a Type I or Type II treatment system on your boat, would no longer be allowed to use them on the Chesapeake if this bill is passed. Only holding tanks would be permitted. I'd encourage those of you who boat on the Chesapeake, and have treatment systems, to contact the appropriate legislators and committe members and try and nip this in the bud. It's scheduled for introduction in early March, so time is short! I'll try and get a list of the legislators who are pushing the bill and post them later.
