I hate to rehash a subject we have probably beaten to death. But I was driving home this evening and I heard a story on a local AM station (New York 1010 WINS). Town of Norwalk Connecticut "accidentally" dumps 1 MILLION GALLONS of RAW SEWAGE INTO NORWALK HARBOR !!!!!...........They said "no big deal" within a few days they will probably reopen shellfishing in the area !?!. For those that don't know Norwalk, CT it is a beautiful harbor with islands dotting the entrance and a very rich nautical history and an annual Oyster Festival that draws people from all over. This area is very well know for Blue Point Oysters ----(second only to Prince Edward Island Oysters IMHO) I couldn't believe it. It was reported as such a minor story on the radio and I'm sure very few will hear about it in the area, let alone the country. I tried a search on the news wires and am having a hard time finding it !!........I went to the AP news site and couldn't even find anything on it..... It took me a long while but I *finally* found a 3 paragraph story on it from a local site( http://www.news12.com/CDA/Articles/View/0,2049,10-10-3627-31,00.html ) My point is the authorities (who ever that is) makes such a big deal if a sailor dumps a 17 Gallon holding tank overboard in the sound but things like this are happening all the time !!.....How many times in towns all over the coast are there events like this happening that are page 42 news in the local paper !!!......How many more times are there municipalities "accidentally" dumping into our harbors that aren't even reported !!!! THINK ABOUT IT 1 MILLION GALLONS of RAW SEWAGE !!!!......nobody will get in trouble....nothing is going to happen....and officials aren't really concerned.......but god help the boater that dumps their holding tank 3 miles out into the Long Island Sound......I'm sure there are *many* environMENTALists out there that would "keelhaul" anyone that did.......Where are all these environMENTALists now !!!! Why aren't they going after 95% of the municipalities that are located on the rivers and harbors throughout the country (most have "released" lots of sewage at one time or another)......but NO....They come after the boaters because its an easy target....not necessarily the ones causing the problems......It reminds me of all the hoopla about "ozone depletion"...so the government made it so the public can't purchase R-12 refrigerant to recharge their car air-conditioners.....HOGWASH !!....the amount of ozone depleting R-12 released into the atmosphere from consumers was less than 0.1% of all that the industrial community was releasing.......but our great lawmakers make a big hoopla about enacting restrictions on our access to R-12 ......it laughable !!! Think about it ....Lets say there are 1000 boats in Norwalk Harbor (I don't know I just guessed...its probably in that ballpark)....and lets say they all had a 20 gallon holding tank.......and lets say they all dumped their holding tanks every single week for the whole summer - 13 weeks....That still wouldn't add up to one quarter of what was released in just 2 hours from this plant...........Boaters are made to be the scape-goats........ No I am NOT advocating dumping your holding tank anywhere.....especially in any area that is enclosed & doesn't get a good "flush" into a very large body of water.....but I'm going to feel a little less guilty if my holding tank is bulging at the seams & I'm in the middle of the LI sound....
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Tom, you are absolutley on point.
This happens all over then United States on an all too frequent occurance. It happens in the west coast, on the east coast, great lakes, rivers and bays. You make a good point. These municipalities probably paid a smaller fine for this than you or I would for pumping out that 10-20 gallons of waste. There is really nothing that we are going to be able to do about it other than make everyone aware of what really happens. You are right, as boaters we should do all we can to keep our waters clean, but sometimes you need to do what you need to do.
This happens all over then United States on an all too frequent occurance. It happens in the west coast, on the east coast, great lakes, rivers and bays. You make a good point. These municipalities probably paid a smaller fine for this than you or I would for pumping out that 10-20 gallons of waste. There is really nothing that we are going to be able to do about it other than make everyone aware of what really happens. You are right, as boaters we should do all we can to keep our waters clean, but sometimes you need to do what you need to do.
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Sean
Great Post Tom
You are right on this one. It happens all the time everywhere. Here in Puget Sound, there is usually a blurb two or three times a year buried somewhere in The Seattle Times. It is never on the front page, just a small article. What is even worse,is Victoria,B.C. dumps that much every day into the Strait Of Juan de Fuca citing they can't afford treatment plants and that it will be flushed out to sea anyway with the currents. Sean
You are right on this one. It happens all the time everywhere. Here in Puget Sound, there is usually a blurb two or three times a year buried somewhere in The Seattle Times. It is never on the front page, just a small article. What is even worse,is Victoria,B.C. dumps that much every day into the Strait Of Juan de Fuca citing they can't afford treatment plants and that it will be flushed out to sea anyway with the currents. Sean
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Claude L.-Auger
Canada no different
Same thing over here in the Great North Country. We have to cap or seal our holding tanks in a way that makes it impossible to dump overboard. Pump-outs only. Sean talks about Victoria BC, but let me tell you that it happens everywhere, and industrial and municipal wastes are dumped on both the Canadian and american sides of the Great Lakes without too much hooplah, but various government agencies make it a point to come and take coliform readings in local yatch clubs and marinas. I'm not advocating dumping overboard either, and I'm glad the laws are strict, but I too do question the seriousness of authorities when "accidents" like Tom describes happen. Too regular and too numerous yet nothing is done. Maybe boaters everywhere should unite to create the Sorriest Harbor In Town (SHIT) award and raise hell to alert the public when it happens somewhere. We allways are hit hardest and pointed at by because we are the silent minority, which indeed makes us easy target.
Same thing over here in the Great North Country. We have to cap or seal our holding tanks in a way that makes it impossible to dump overboard. Pump-outs only. Sean talks about Victoria BC, but let me tell you that it happens everywhere, and industrial and municipal wastes are dumped on both the Canadian and american sides of the Great Lakes without too much hooplah, but various government agencies make it a point to come and take coliform readings in local yatch clubs and marinas. I'm not advocating dumping overboard either, and I'm glad the laws are strict, but I too do question the seriousness of authorities when "accidents" like Tom describes happen. Too regular and too numerous yet nothing is done. Maybe boaters everywhere should unite to create the Sorriest Harbor In Town (SHIT) award and raise hell to alert the public when it happens somewhere. We allways are hit hardest and pointed at by because we are the silent minority, which indeed makes us easy target.
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Mark Johnson
I keep my boat in Norwalk harbor!!
and let me tell you, it's not the first time this has happened! It is absolutely ridiculous!!! Norwalk harbor and it's islands are a lovely spot, but I've got to be REALLY HOT before I jump into the water.
and let me tell you, it's not the first time this has happened! It is absolutely ridiculous!!! Norwalk harbor and it's islands are a lovely spot, but I've got to be REALLY HOT before I jump into the water.
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
It's NOT news, Tom...
It happens all the time--mostly after a heavy rain, when runoff floods the storm drains going into the sewage treatment plants. The only reason it gets any mention at all is when it closes beaches or fishing in the area--just to let people know. Ironically, exactly one week after RI's statewide "no discharge" law went into effect, a sewage treatment spill closed fishing and beachs in a large part of Narragansett Bay for about a week--an event that did NOT go unnoticed by boat owners there either. Technically it IS illegal, but what few people know is that more than 100 New England cities and towns have been granted exemptions from water pollution standards by the EPA because their sewage treatment plants are too antiquated, inadequate, or in such miserable shape to meet current standards and/or population demand--and the cost and/or disruption of service makes it impractical to replace them. So you'll find announcements of beach or shell fishing closings--usually just "Oh, btw" stories--all the time Even where there is no exemption, it's cheaper for the county or city to pay the fines than it is to upgrade the sewage treatment systems. Unfortunately the same isn't true for boat owners. Not much we can about it, unless enough people want to file a class action suit against the EPA to revoke the exemptions and make the fines as proportionately punitive for municipalities as they are for boat owners.
It happens all the time--mostly after a heavy rain, when runoff floods the storm drains going into the sewage treatment plants. The only reason it gets any mention at all is when it closes beaches or fishing in the area--just to let people know. Ironically, exactly one week after RI's statewide "no discharge" law went into effect, a sewage treatment spill closed fishing and beachs in a large part of Narragansett Bay for about a week--an event that did NOT go unnoticed by boat owners there either. Technically it IS illegal, but what few people know is that more than 100 New England cities and towns have been granted exemptions from water pollution standards by the EPA because their sewage treatment plants are too antiquated, inadequate, or in such miserable shape to meet current standards and/or population demand--and the cost and/or disruption of service makes it impractical to replace them. So you'll find announcements of beach or shell fishing closings--usually just "Oh, btw" stories--all the time Even where there is no exemption, it's cheaper for the county or city to pay the fines than it is to upgrade the sewage treatment systems. Unfortunately the same isn't true for boat owners. Not much we can about it, unless enough people want to file a class action suit against the EPA to revoke the exemptions and make the fines as proportionately punitive for municipalities as they are for boat owners.
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gary jensen
Equal treatment
The penalty for dumping of sewage should be equal for everyone, and there should NOT be any planned dumping at all. In the case of an accident where sewage is dumped--- then whatever the fine is for one, should be for all. In the case of an entity (city, township etc) the individual should be personaly held responsible for the fine, clean=up etc. NOT THE CITY!!!!! Perhaps you would then see a conscious effort to not do any dumping!!
The penalty for dumping of sewage should be equal for everyone, and there should NOT be any planned dumping at all. In the case of an accident where sewage is dumped--- then whatever the fine is for one, should be for all. In the case of an entity (city, township etc) the individual should be personaly held responsible for the fine, clean=up etc. NOT THE CITY!!!!! Perhaps you would then see a conscious effort to not do any dumping!!
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Mark Johnson
Good idea Gary...
Why don't they fine by the gallon? Whats the fine for dumping a 25 gallon holding tank? Hmmmm....25 gallons goes into 1,000,000 how many times? That certainly would get someone's attention!
Why don't they fine by the gallon? Whats the fine for dumping a 25 gallon holding tank? Hmmmm....25 gallons goes into 1,000,000 how many times? That certainly would get someone's attention!
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