Alabama has decided to require a yearly MSD inspection and are charging $50!!!!!! Exactly why a yearly inspection??? I have not changed anything in my system in almost 6 years!!!! If this stupid requirement would improve water quality I would not complain. But $50 /year to show that my system is exactly the same as last year seems like a waste of money and effort. Home septic tanks often fail and lead to runoff into streams. I have NEVER heard anyone propose a yearly septic tank system inspection. Even a $50/year tax on MSDs to provide more pump out stations maybe for free would make far more sense than a yearly inspection. It seems like an expensive aggravation that provides very little good for the environment.
Major Rip-off in Alabama
- Thread starter MoonSailer
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Every body knows that boater are loaded with $$$. Just another way for the Gov to get money in these bad times. To many home owners to through a protest so they are going after you guys.
PA. Gov wants a 16% tax increase...
Good luck.
Bee
PA. Gov wants a 16% tax increase...
Good luck.
Bee
Consider that when appearing for your inspection that you 'load' the MSD, dont flush it, leave it 'ferment' in the hot sun .... let them inspect THAT. Get a good proportion of AL boaters to do the same and this piracy will soon end. *<
You voted for these mindless idiots, now vote them out or continue to enjoy being a 'prey species'.
You voted for these mindless idiots, now vote them out or continue to enjoy being a 'prey species'.
http://www.laundry-alternative.com/causes_of_water_pollution.htm
Here is a reference on home septic tank systems. They cause far more water pollution than boats but are ignored as a lot of people would be affected by yearly inspections of home septic tanks. Again I am all for improved water quality and I am against pumping crap overboard but this onerous requirement does little to prevent pumping or water pollution. At first the system did not seem so bad. The game and fish people looked at your system and gave you a sticker. Still not needed yearly but not too onerous. But $50/year for an inspection is too much and not needed yearly. My system is very simple. One hose from head to holding tank. One Y valve so that stuff can be pumped out at a pumpout staion or pumped overboard. On my boat I don't have a pump that allows overboard discharge . If I go cruising to the Bahamas I will install a pump as pumpout stations are rare in the Bahamas. It took the game warden less than 5 minutes to inspect my system. It took longer to fill out the paperwork than to look at my system. $10/minute seems steep especially on a yearly basis.
Here is a reference on home septic tank systems. They cause far more water pollution than boats but are ignored as a lot of people would be affected by yearly inspections of home septic tanks. Again I am all for improved water quality and I am against pumping crap overboard but this onerous requirement does little to prevent pumping or water pollution. At first the system did not seem so bad. The game and fish people looked at your system and gave you a sticker. Still not needed yearly but not too onerous. But $50/year for an inspection is too much and not needed yearly. My system is very simple. One hose from head to holding tank. One Y valve so that stuff can be pumped out at a pumpout staion or pumped overboard. On my boat I don't have a pump that allows overboard discharge . If I go cruising to the Bahamas I will install a pump as pumpout stations are rare in the Bahamas. It took the game warden less than 5 minutes to inspect my system. It took longer to fill out the paperwork than to look at my system. $10/minute seems steep especially on a yearly basis.
Agreed Moonsailor; a total PITA. The fees are not set by the state. Individuals can become certified and charge what the market bears; usually $50 but I have seen as low as 30. Heck, our boat does not even have a means to dump overboard - yet I have to get inspected every year too.
Sounds like your complaint is more to the $$$ than the inspection requirement itself.
"At first the system did not seem so bad. The game and fish people looked at your system and gave you a sticker."
When one considers the real PC&B (personnel, compensation and benefits) costs that a government entity incurs for an average employee, $50/hr isn't that far off so this really becomes a value judgment each of us makes when weighing these costs against the environmental benefit.
"At first the system did not seem so bad. The game and fish people looked at your system and gave you a sticker."
When one considers the real PC&B (personnel, compensation and benefits) costs that a government entity incurs for an average employee, $50/hr isn't that far off so this really becomes a value judgment each of us makes when weighing these costs against the environmental benefit.
Two things
As Claude asked, I have to wonder what will happen with boaters coming through, like those of us who regularly head over towards Pensacola. There is quite a bit of traffic back and forth through Mobile Bay. And I also hope that other states don't see such a thing as a windfall, and add this to their tax base too. Seems like it will never end, and I can see the killing of the goose that laid the golden egg.
As Claude asked, I have to wonder what will happen with boaters coming through, like those of us who regularly head over towards Pensacola. There is quite a bit of traffic back and forth through Mobile Bay. And I also hope that other states don't see such a thing as a windfall, and add this to their tax base too. Seems like it will never end, and I can see the killing of the goose that laid the golden egg.
Re: Two things
I rather doubt that there are enough enforcers to cover all of the boats in Alabama on a stop and check system. So I still wonder, How do you find an inspector or how does he find you? What is the penalty for non-compliance?
I rather doubt that there are enough enforcers to cover all of the boats in Alabama on a stop and check system. So I still wonder, How do you find an inspector or how does he find you? What is the penalty for non-compliance?
I understand not wanting to pay an additional fee, but I would welcome that in my marina. I have moored my boat in both California and Washington state and am always amazed at the sorry state of plumbing on many neighboring boats. Lots of boats never leave their slip and also never get pumped out, but are visited regularly. Since there is an abundance of beer drinking going on, I can only assume where "it" goes. I have overheard several conversations (at different locations) bragging about not being concerned when a little "pee" goes into the water. And I believe we've all had the experience of sitting down for nice dinner on the water, only to have an "interesting" aroma change the ambience.
Assuming the state can enforce the policy, I would gladly pay $50 a year to get rid of some of these "stinkers".
Assuming the state can enforce the policy, I would gladly pay $50 a year to get rid of some of these "stinkers".
I'm tired of paying more to get less.
This idea is absurd.
I can't wait to see how much it costs to get licensed to be a poop patrolmen. If you don't have to take a test to do so, then why should we have to pay for their "services?"
As for the guys in your harbor who pee or otherwise spoil your environment, we don't seem to have that problem here, our folks use the facilities on land, and the marina is pretty good at keeping derelicts out, and having folks "keep up their neighborhoods." How about going after those folks through your marina, rather than agreeing for me to have pay $50 of my money for your problem?
Don't mean to seem harsh, but with all the BS going on with governments these days, this is pure nonsense and I have trouble agreeing with anyone who agrees paying more to the gov't is gonna help anything or anyone. The gov't should raise taxes back to what they used to be on all those rich yachties who make more than $500K a year. That certainly wouldn't be us, would it?
I understand
Tim, and perhaps we are fortunate that our water is so cold and the currents run through it pretty heftily.
The larger issue is who is responsible for enforcement of the existing rules. Government only keeps making MORE rules.
I'd vote for Joe the Candidate who proclaimed: "When you elect me, I'm going to reduce the number of silly rules, give you your freedom back, reduce taxes and fees, and give control back to local folks who should be able to deal with their issues as the responsible people they are."
One size fits all rules sometimes make no sense. Ignoring enforcement of local rules because of any excuse is also nuts.
Work on your marina to stop the stuff, and don't tax me, please.
Tim, and perhaps we are fortunate that our water is so cold and the currents run through it pretty heftily.
The larger issue is who is responsible for enforcement of the existing rules. Government only keeps making MORE rules.
I'd vote for Joe the Candidate who proclaimed: "When you elect me, I'm going to reduce the number of silly rules, give you your freedom back, reduce taxes and fees, and give control back to local folks who should be able to deal with their issues as the responsible people they are."
One size fits all rules sometimes make no sense. Ignoring enforcement of local rules because of any excuse is also nuts.
Work on your marina to stop the stuff, and don't tax me, please.
Do you really think pee is going to cause and issue BECAUSE around here the issue starts when it RAINS and all the turds from land wash into the water
The wild deer population in Maryland exceeds the boating population and each fall about a million geese migrate from Canada and eat on land and poop in the water. I am all in favor of clean water but in my book it means that you don't get careless and forget common sense.
If your premise is wrong, everything which follows is also wrong. In this case, because there is some unavoidable contamination from wildlife, it sounds like you are arguing that there should be no restriction on boats. I guess someone else might follow that logic arguing by extension that since there are no restrictions on boats, we shouldn't have sewage treatment facilities.
I think the fundamental issue is limiting sewage discharges from boats, a practice we all know occurs for various reasons. The real debate should be on doing so at what cost.
pee isnt the problem--seems the e choli community is growing faster than we the people can handle---go figger--we ALLLL know it is the recreational boater who is the biggest problem--because ALL of us poop in the bay and invite our friends the fishies and seals and whales et alii to also do this...so you KNOW is ALLL our fault-----so , now what???? put diapers on the whales seals and fishies??
make them use a taxable litter box???....is sooo nice the already financially wrecked boaters of the usa are the ones to pay for this absurdity----how many more stoopit laws do we have to endure?????
i am soooo glad i live in the absurdly over taxed and over legislated state of kalifornikation so i donot have to worry so very much about the needs of my toilet....until next week...lol......
make them use a taxable litter box???....is sooo nice the already financially wrecked boaters of the usa are the ones to pay for this absurdity----how many more stoopit laws do we have to endure?????
i am soooo glad i live in the absurdly over taxed and over legislated state of kalifornikation so i donot have to worry so very much about the needs of my toilet....until next week...lol......
I think Don has it right. How much does it cost? I'm probably OK with $50, but probably wouldn't want to pay $500. All of us put a price on how much we pay for services that are good for society. Our taxes go for the police depts, fire depts, military, steets, education, sewage, etc. We all hate taxes, but without them, you'd have trouble driving your car on the dirt road that wouldn't exist. How much is a poop-free marina worth, LOL?
First let me say as an extroverted a$$, if you see someone doing something illegal/morally wrong, and you do not do anything to stop them, then you should be ashamed of yourself just as much as they should be. Being shy is no excuse! If you know your neighbor is dumping his holding tank in the marina, you should be giving them hell about it every chance you get until their self respect and descency kicks in and they quit. This is YOUR responsiblity as concerned boater, not the governments responsiblity as a glorified hall monitor.
As a sailor here on the eastern side of Mobile Bay, I find it hilarious that the educated elite up in Montgomery think this will improve water quality, locally, we have several mills and factories lcoated adjacent to the Mobile, Tombigbee, and Alabama Rivers, Heck we even have a body of water called the Deer River Industrial Canal, the name alone just screams Clean Water. We also have the Daphne waste water treatment facility directly up stream from D'Olive Creek not to mention the lovely City of Fairhope's deposits into Fly Creek. It seems like once every month or so, they are shutting down the swimming area at the Fairhope Pier/Beach due to some kind of contamination in the water. I very seriously doubt it is coming from the boating population around the bay and up the rivers.
This has all of the markings of a money making scheme for the state that started off as a "good idea" from some helpful concerned envrionmentalist. Next thing you know they will say that global warming is harming the nutria rat population up in the delta.
Stepping down from my soap box now!
As a sailor here on the eastern side of Mobile Bay, I find it hilarious that the educated elite up in Montgomery think this will improve water quality, locally, we have several mills and factories lcoated adjacent to the Mobile, Tombigbee, and Alabama Rivers, Heck we even have a body of water called the Deer River Industrial Canal, the name alone just screams Clean Water. We also have the Daphne waste water treatment facility directly up stream from D'Olive Creek not to mention the lovely City of Fairhope's deposits into Fly Creek. It seems like once every month or so, they are shutting down the swimming area at the Fairhope Pier/Beach due to some kind of contamination in the water. I very seriously doubt it is coming from the boating population around the bay and up the rivers.
This has all of the markings of a money making scheme for the state that started off as a "good idea" from some helpful concerned envrionmentalist. Next thing you know they will say that global warming is harming the nutria rat population up in the delta.
Stepping down from my soap box now!
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