The US Environmental Protection Agencys new national guidelines for marinas identify 123-clean marina practices successfully used by boating facilities to protect good water quality. Thousands of marinas across the country are becoming clean-marina operations by adopting many of these practices. Marina environmental education leader Neil Ross, whos identifying new ways marinas can protect the water environment, requests your help. He wants to hear from marina/boatyard owners and managers about what is new and working well.
“The EPA report, released in November 2001, was considered the state-of-the-art at publication for all federal, state and local government agencies, and for the marina industry use,” states Ross. “However, new techniques and technologies continue to evolve. Marina and boatyard managers are quite creative problem solvers. Many of the good environmental practices that EPA is promoting came from marinas and boatyards across the country. Without doubt these same creative marinas continue to implement new practices to solve the common problems. I want to share these successful new techniques with other marinas. In some cases, these new management practices not only protect environmental resources but also reduce costs for marinas that have implemented them.”
To assist all marinas to improve, Ross is asking for help to identify the new ways to protect the boating environment. He will release the identified practices in future marina conferences, marina trade newsletters and industry magazines. Everyone whose new good idea is used will also be recognized.
The Request: Anyone who is now using or aware of a successful, new, clean marina technology and/or cost effective approach to further prevent, reduce, or clean up pollution from boats and marinas, is asked to participate in this survey. All new, improved clean marina practices identified will be shared with the marina industry and government.
The 15 environmental management issues of interest are: marina flushing, water quality assessment, habitat assessment, shoreline stabilization, storm-water runoff, fueling station design, petroleum-spill/leak control, liquid-material management, solid-waste management, fish-waste management, sewage-facility management, maintenance of sewage facilities, boat cleaning, boat operation, and public education.
Over the past 30 years Ross has been an industry leader working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many states and marinas to promote clean practices. His research and reports–particularly Clean Marinas, Clear Value, are considered landmarks for helping the industry and government to recognize that clean water is key to good marina profits and good boating. Ross was one of the founders of the International Marina Institute, Marine Environmental Education Foundation, and National Clean Boating Campaign. He has been a consultant to the EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, many state agencies and several foreign governments, and was the first Sea Grant specialist to work with the national marina industry.
Please send new clean marina ideas and clean marina/boating practices to Neil Ross at 138 White Horn Dr, Kingston, RI 02881, phone/fax: 401-782-2116, or e-mail: neilross@cox.net.
