Today, the Environmental Protection Agency published the Clean Water Act proposal in the Federal Register. The proposal will impose new, complex requirements on recreational boaters to follow specific practices in operating their boats and managing their everyday, overboard water discharges. The Clean Boating Act of 2008 would fully and permanently restore a long-standing regulation that excludes recreational boaters and anglers from the federal and state permitting requirements. Boats and ships are different, and shouldn't be treated the same. These costly permits—intended for commercial ships and supertankers that have brought harmful invasive water species into U.S. waters—are being developed right now to tax your boat’s engine cooling water, bilge water, and even deck runoff. This will seriously impact boating participation unless Congress acts quickly. It's not an exaggeration to say that it will take an act of Congress to fix this problem before the federal government steps in and starts regulating how boaters enjoy a stay out on the water.
