Hearings on Boat No Discharge Zone Bills in MD

[jcollins]

WHAT AND WHERE:

Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee Hearing
Tuesday March 16, 1 pm.
(Senate Bill 513)
2 West Miller Senate Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/hearsch/0304_ehe.htm

House Environmental Matters Committee Hearing
Friday March 19, 1 pm.
(House Bill 1257)
Room 250, House Office Building, 6 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
http://mlis.state.md.us/2010RS/hearsch/ ... mm.htm#env

These hearings are opportunities for the legislators to listen to comments and concerns about the bill's merits from their colleagues and from the general public before voting on the bill.

The time and place of the hearing can change up until the last minute, so check the state website again before driving to Annapolis!

Full Text of the Bills:
http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/billfile/hb1257.htm

THE DETAILS:

Under current law, it is illegal to discharge untreated sewage from vessels in MD waters. Vessels with a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I Marine Sanitation Device (for boats less than 65') or a Type II MSD (for bigger boats and ships) can treat their waste and discharge it, similar to what shore-side sewage treatment plants do.

Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler has introduced legislation that would establish a "No Discharge Zone" for all Maryland waters, which includes much of the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River and other tributaries.

House Bill 1257 and Senate Bill 513, which are currently identical, would change Maryland law to prohibit the discharge of treated sewage from Type I and II MSD's in all recreational boats and commercial ships in Maryland waters. The bills would take effect June 1, 2010 (or after approval from the federal EPA). If passed, the MD Dept. of Natural Resources must proceed to authorize routine inspections of sewage equipment (in all boats) and periodic dye flush tests of your boat's head(s). The bills would create a $10,000 fine per occurrence for a violation.

For additional information visit the BoatU.S. Government Affairs web site at http://www.BoatUS.com/gov

BOATERS URGED TO VOICE OPINIONS:

Boaters with interest in this legislation are encouraged to attend the Senate Committee Hearing Tuesday March 16, 1 pm or the House Committee Hearing Friday March 19, 1 pm.

If attendance is not possible, may contact their state representatives here:
http://mlis.state.md.us/mgaweb/mail32.aspx

Or, contact Bill Co-Sponsors:

Co-Sponsors HB 1257

Delegate Marvin E. Holmes, Jr., District 23B
Delegate Charles Barkley, District 39
Delegate Joseph R. Bartlett, District 4A
Delegate Pamela Beidle, District 32
Delegate Elizabeth Bobo, District 12B
Delegate William A. Bronrott, District 16
Delegate Alfred C. Carr, Jr., District 18
Delegate Robert A. Costa, District 33B
Delegate Steven J. DeBoy, Sr., District 12A
Delegate Barbara Frush, District 21
Delegate Jim Gilchrist, District 17
Delegate Cheryl D. Glenn, District 45
Delegate Guy Guzzone, District 13
Delegate Anne Healey, District 22
Delegate Tom Hucker, District 20
Delegate Kevin Kelly, District 1B
Delegate Sue Kullen, District 27B
Delegate Stephen W. Lafferty, District 42
Delegate James E. Malone, Jr., District 12A
Delegate Doyle L. Niemann, District 47
Delegate Samuel I. Rosenberg, District 41
Delegate Dana Stein, District 11

Co-Sponsors SB 513

Senator Joan Carter Conway, District 43
Senator Ulysses Currie, District 25
Senator Jennie M. Forehand, District 17
Senator Brian E. Frosh, District 16
Senator David C. Harrington, District 47
Senator Verna L. Jones, District 44
Senator Nancy J. King, District 39
Senator Katherine Klausmeier, District 8
Senator Rona E. Kramer, District 14
Senator Mike Lenett, District 19
Senator Richard S. Madaleno, Jr., District 18
Senator Thomas M. Middleton, District 28
Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., District 27
Senator C. Anthony Muse, District 26
Senator Douglas J. J. Peters, District 23
Senator Paul G. Pinsky, District 22
Senator Catherine E. Pugh, District 40
Senator Jamie Raskin, District 20
Senator Bobby A. Zirkin, District 11

[jcollins]

I saw the band 1964 - The Tribute this week. When they sang "Tax Man" it reminded me of this.

The above topic is an update to another posting about this. At first I didn't worry about it because I'm capped off and don't discharge. But this is just one more reason for law enforcement to board my boat and the State to raise taxes or fees.