ALL Recreational Boating Threatened by pending Govt Regulations

[John Sherlock]

From: Senator Mel Martinez (Florida)

Below is a response to the recent comments I received from you:


Dear Mr. Sherlock:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Clean Boating Act. I appreciate hearing from you and would like to take this opportunity to respond to your concerns.

As you may know, a federal court order has directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt a permit system for all vessels that discharge water by September 30, 2008. Requiring family boaters to secure a Clean Water Act permit so that they can wash their boat, fish or go waterskiing is unnecessary. Furthermore, it will be exceedingly costly and essentially unenforceable given the huge manpower needed at the EPA to manage the permitting workload of over 1 million recreational boats in the state of Florida alone. I support environmentally responsible recreational boating and would like to keep boaters from having to go through the onerous EPA permitting process to secure a Clean Water Act permit for the normal operation of their boats.

On March 13, 2008, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced the Clean Boating Act of 2008 (S. 2766), and on September 18, 2007, I introduced the Recreational Boating Act of 2007 (S. 2067). Both of these bills address the fundamental permitting issue by exempting recreational boat owners from EPA permit requirements, but they differ in the status granted to charter boats. S. 2766 has been referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works where it awaits further consideration.

I look forward to working with my colleagues in the 110th Congress to find a common sense solution for Florida's recreational boaters. As an avid outdoorsman and fisherman, I appreciate the value of our state’s biodiversity and natural heritage, and consider it important that we fight to protect it. When making decisions affecting our waterways and oceans, we must strive to strike a balance and make policy that is grounded in sound science.
Again, thank you for contacting me. If you have any additional questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. In addition, for more information about issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.

Sincerely,

Mel Martinez
United States Senator

[Jim Porter]

That's always the answer that the right wing comes up with isn't it? Government is bad, government is the problem, do away with government. I agree that from what little I know about them these reg's they sound crazy but, as Neil Bass says, we must educate our legislators about boating and get them on our side. Spouting off about doing away with government isn't going to help a bit. By the way with With Bush in command the last 8 years government has grown at an exponential rate. Surprised you didn't mention that Eddie.

[nbass]

We need a Proactive Approach

Sknootz, I respect your response and agree that there will always be more rhetoric about going green. Actually, we are on the same page but coming from different directions. In my experience (and that includes over ten years of working with EPA and other state, tribal, and environmental regulatory and interest groups) the only way to get what you want is to play the game to win. Not playing the game means an automatic loose and they will choose our fate without our input. I too have great lack of faith in the supposed science. However, that is the public and political situation that we are stuck with and need to lobby. So, how can we make this happen? Is the APBA BOD going to take up the cause?
Neil Bass

[RichardKCMo]

Represenative Republic!!!

Sknootz, I respect your response and agree that there will always be more rhetoric about going green. Actually, we are on the same page but coming from different directions. In my experience (and that includes over ten years of working with EPA and other state, tribal, and environmental regulatory and interest groups) the only way to get what you want is to play the game to win. Not playing the game means an automatic loose and they will choose our fate without our input. I too have great lack of faith in the supposed science. However, that is the public and political situation that we are stuck with and need to lobby. So, how can we make this happen? Is the APBA BOD going to take up the cause?
Neil Bass

As pogo said about the enemy, it does take some time to work.
Sometimes trust is really hard.

One thing about being conservative it takes a while for things to change when you say no.

Has anyone given any thought to Congress no matter who Pres. is oh well.!!!
RichardKCMo

[johnsonm50]

While on this environment discussion Id like to point out that boating is going environmentally correct as we read/write. There are many other culprits here to our global plight,, cars that run cleaner X millions more of them than when they werent clean. Houses,, the architectural trends have been outlandish. Great rooms, 9,10 or even 12ft ceilings 3 - 5 zone climate control 4 stories [inc basement] all this for a few people ea. Most of them built with engineered "wood" [glue]. Industy,, hush burn & dump policies that still will surface. Among the worst assaults on water,, the deterioration of a certain nuke sub fleet in the north. With all that said & countless more that could be added it still doesnt surprise me that some groop of fellow Americans is pointing its finger at something fun and saying you shouldnt be doing that. On the funny side many of those who preach environment will turn around and pollute themselves into oblivion!!