E-mail from marina in MD

[Scott]

"For those of you working on your vessels, please follow the below guidelines per the MDE Compliance Division.

• No wet scrubbing, hosing or pressure washing of bottom paint allowed while blocked on land.
• Use filter cloth or tarp when scraping/sanding.
• No dis-colorization may be noted on the ground under any vessel
• ALL paint cans must be placed outside of the shop on pallets after use.
• Do NOT throw any paint cans into dumpsters. Staff will properly dispose of paint cans.
• Do NOT throw paint brushes, rollers, trays into office lot dumpster if WET.
• Put all used painting materials outside of shop for disposal by staff.
• Office lot Dumpster is the ONLY dumpster for commercial waste.
• ALL other dumpsters are for residential waste (trash, paper, bottles, cans, food, etc.)
• If in doubt, place item outside of shop door. Staff will dispose of properly.
• Shrink Wrap must be bagged and placed next to dumpster outside of Chandlery

Many with ablative paint have used "doodlebug" pads in the past. You may no longer use a doodlebug pad with water. This will cause pigment on the ground which is illegal."



THIS IS THE REAL "KICKER!.

"Please remember to inform the office of bottom paint applied. We need the date applied, manufacturer, type and quantity applied. Management must log paint applied on a daily basis and report to the state monthly."


The bulleted parts are for the most part okay. But
why the hell does the The MD DNR need this information?
My guess is the future prohibition of some paints as is done in some other more restrictive states.
When does government control ever stop?:cussing:

Phil, if you want to move this to the War Room, maybe it belongs there.

 

[Jackdaw]

Assuming, mind you ASSUMING there is a good reason, maybe the MDDNR is doing some air quality testing this spring to monitor VOCs. They could set up monitoring stations downwind from marinas, and compare the data against what was reported applied that day. Just a SWAG.

 

[justsomeguy]

"You'll be absolutely free, only if you want to be."
Frank Zappa.

 

[RichH]

This all part of the 'volunatry' Maryland Clean/Green Marina program, has been that way for the past 10-12 years. ... Some marinas are now just catching up.

I wonder if the same rules will apply the Baltimore Back Creek sewage treatment plant that routinely discharges zillions of gallons of 'raw' into the Chesapeake ... after all just the vitamins and nutrient metals that are leached out of several million human bodies daily and draining into this plant surely have more 'copper content' than all the boats in the entire country.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Marinas throughout the country have learned an expensive lesson that non-compliance with various long-standing environmental statutes and regs can cost them plenty in fines.

The most recent being a marina in MA which received a $173,000 fine.

If anyone thinks freedom includes everything, look again.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I wonder if the same rules will apply the Baltimore Back Creek sewage treatment plant that routinely discharges zillions of gallons of 'raw' into the Chesapeake ... after all just the vitamins and nutrient metals that are leached out of several million human bodies daily and draining into this plant surely have more 'copper content' than all the boats in the entire country.

Consider what the cost would be to the taxpayers if every STP in the country was upgraded the next time you vote for a candidate who proclaims he will raise your taxes for infrastructure improvements.

 

[Scott]

Justn for the record - here's more of the email

"Dear Members:

Bowleys received a visit from the MDE Compliance Inspector this past Monday. A formal complaint was filed with the State's Attorney General's office claiming that boats are being sanded without dustless sanders and the use of filter cloth. We do not know who filed the complaint. This is a very serious charge against Bowleys and the State will levy very large fines if we are found to be non-compliant with the General Discharge Permit regulations.

The MDE Compliance Inspector and myself walked the entire property. He visually inspected the ground under every vessel that has been sanded and/or painted. We also inspected the entire fence line looking for particulate from sanding. The inspector found NO violations and was very pleased to see everyone using tarps/filter cloth under their vessels.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every member who has worked on their vessels to date."

From Scott - This has been a "Clean Marina" since the program's inception and should be lauded for their efforts.:dance:

 

[Stu Jackson]

We do not know who filed the complaint.

THAT'S the really scary part. Shouldn't "transparency" require this kinda stuff to be recorded? Anonymous charges are dangerous signs.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

THAT'S the really scary part. Shouldn't "transparency" require this kinda stuff to be recorded? Anonymous charges are dangerous signs.

There is a difference between anonymous and confidential

 

[Scott]

I'm afraid

Last spring we had drop clothes below our boat and proceeded to pressure wash and sand the hull. I will admit, a very small amount of discolored water seeped from the drop cloths onto the ground surface. In my humble opinion the discolorization was "de minimus." However, it was present. We did our best to dilute it as best we could, but I worried for several weeks that it would be discovered by "the state."

I recall someone in our past, to paraphrase: when the people are afraid of their government, that's tyranny. When the government is the afraid of the people, that's freedom. I think his initials were T.J or something like that.

Does it surprise anyone, that the state inspector would look for "particulate" on a chain link fence?"

Give me a break!

 

[hnmac25]

Assuming, mind you ASSUMING there is a good reason, maybe the MDDNR is doing some air quality testing this spring to monitor VOCs. They could set up monitoring stations downwind from marinas, and compare the data against what was reported applied that day. Just a SWAG.

That sounds too much like science to have an affect on the regulatory process, which seems to more often be politics masquerading as "science".

 

[Gunni]

This is a marina under enforcement after getting busted for running a loose scofflaw operation. Now they want to make it your problem, or blame the cops. Scott, you need to find a new place to hang out.

 

[anchorclanker]

Somebody better figure out a non toxic bottom paint really fast. You can hear the clock ticking.

 

[anchorclanker]

We do not know who filed the complaint.

Wow. I wonder when the cops can starting breaking down our doors and entering our homes with such dubious responses.

They either know fully well who made the complaint, or there was no complaint and they used that statement as a ruse to enter the property. I'm betting on the latter.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Confidential "informants?"

Naw, anonymous sounds "better."

 

[capta]

Y'all should sail to the Caribbean for your bottom jobs. It's cheaper, warmer, you can purchase a bottom paint that might actually work for a week or two and no one is going to go ape sh*t over a bit of "particulate from sanding" on a fence.
Great medical care and a speedy internet may not have reached the third world yet, but at least it's live and let live, and the governments don't bother the individual over the little things.
I've been watching the trend towards blaming the pleasure boats for all the pollution in San Francisco Bay, for instance, since 1969. While the California government was allowing the factories and huge farms in the central valley to dump huge amounts of extremely toxic chemicals into the rivers feeding the Bay, we on the boats were considered the terrible polluters of the Bay.
In the 80's Ft. Lauderdale was considering a hard line sewage system for yachts moored in the canals there because we were polluting the area. Meanwhile, anyone could see the raw sewage flowing out from the canal walls, from broken pipes dating from the 50's.
Without a powerful lobby in congress boaters will always be the target of rediculous laws while the big corporations, the real polluters, get away with doing the real damage.
I don't mind doing my share, but I hate being the fall guy for big business.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Don't you folks know that it is the job of the alpha male to find an enemy and the lead the persecution of them? So if you are looking for an enemy you would like to go after an easy one that (In this case) cannot effect your voting constituents or your tax base. Messing with the big farms and businesses just causes higher prices on stuff which effect everybody so those are out. lets see, those sail and pleasure boaters don't seem to be very well organized and are highly visible.......
And that is the real reason they go after us. We don't complain in a way that they care about!!!

 

[John T1594]

Lucky you are not in New Jersey

Many marinas in New Jersey will not allow owners to work, wash, scrape, sand, paint, etc, anything below the water line.

 

[justsomeguy]

Y'all should sail to the Caribbean for your bottom jobs. It's cheaper, warmer, you can purchase a bottom paint that might actually work for a week or two and no one is going to go ape sh*t over a bit of "particulate from sanding" on a fence.
Great medical care and a speedy internet may not have reached the third world yet, but at least it's live and let live, and the governments don't bother the individual over the little things.
snip-

But it's so much easier to roll over and take the abuse!

 

[anchorclanker]

Being somewhat new to sailing, at least as far as owning one, and reading forums like this one, my eyes have been opened for the first time, to the magnitude of sailboats occupying this country. Unless you own one, you never go down to sailing clubs or marinas, so you never see them. I had seen a few over the years, and was quite amazed at the number of boats, but failed to imagine the "big picture".

I read somewhere that O'day built some 60,000 boats alone. But there are literally 100's of manufacturers, many who built 1000's of boats, and most are still in existence. The hand full of us clowns on this site are but a tiny fraction of a percent of the sailboat owners in this country. I would imagine that, should the group rise up, en mass, they would be quite a force to be reckoned with. But taken only a few at a time, we appear non existent to the world at large.