Nonpoint Pollution | Success Stories | Marina

Marina Success Stories

Note: Highlighted projects are not necessarily funded by the Coastal Nonpoint Program nor do they necessarily represent projects that have been approved by NOAA and EPA to remove remaining conditions on state programs.

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

Michigan Clean Marina Program Partners to Reduce Waste: The Michigan Clean Marina Program recently partnered with Mondo Polymer Technologies, Inc. to launch a pilot shrink-wrap recycling program. The recycling program collected shrink-wrap at 50 marinas in southeast Michigan. Shrink-wrap is commonly used for protecting recreational boats stored outside during the winter season from snow, ice, water and debris and frequently discarded in the trash when removed in the spring. The pilot recycling program has been very successful, diverting more then 125,000 pounds of shrink-wrap from the land fill in 2007.  In addition, each participating marina reduced their waste disposal costs by an average of $250, since they generated less waste. The recycled shrink-wrap is reused to manufacture parts of barrier systems on roadways. Based on the overwhelming response to the pilot program, the Michigan Clean Marina Program coordinators expect to expand the shrink-wrap recycling efforts throughout the state in the future.

The Michigan Clean Marina Program is a partnership of the Michigan Boating Industries Association, Michigan Sea Grant and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

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New Jersey Joins Clean Marina Community: This spring the New Jersey Coastal Management Program successfully launched the New Jersey Clean Marina Program, a voluntary, incentive-based program that provides educational information, guidance, and technical assistance to marina owners and recreational boaters regarding the most effective practices to protect water quality and coastal resources. The program was developed in partnership with New Jersey SeaGrant, Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program, Jacques Cousteau National Estuary Research Reserve, Marine Trades Association of New Jersey, New Jersey Department of Transportation, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Rutgers Cooperative Extension and several other NGOs. To assist marinas in becoming certified “NJ Clean Marinas,” the New Jersey Coastal Program, in cooperation with the Clean Marina Committee, developed a Clean Marina Guidebook, brochure, self-assessment checklist, and pledge card. So far, the Clean Marina Program has hosted three, well-attended, educational workshops to introduce the program to the marina and boating community and provide information on best management practices including fuel spill prevention and clean up and landscaping for stormwater management. Since the launch of this initiative, 20 marinas have signed pledge cards indicating their commitment to identifying and implementing practices to control pollution and encourage responsible boating practices. The Clean Marina Program is also working with the NJDEP Division of Parks and Forestry to certify the five state-owned marinas as NJ Clean Marinas. Certified Clean Marinas receive a certificate of achievement, a burgee to fly at the facility, and authorization to use the official logo on letterhead and advertising. In recognition of its efforts, the Clean Marina Program was also recognized in Governor Codey’s 2005 Coastal Initiatives document.

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Ohio Kicks Off Clean Marina Program: In September, Ohio kicked off its new Clean Marina Program at the Cedar Point Boat Show. Like most other state clean marina programs, Ohio's Program is a voluntary, certification-based program to encourage and recognize environmentally responsible practices among Lake Erie's 300+ marinas. To accompany their certification program, the Ohio Clean Marina Program has also published a Clean Marina Guidebook and developed a checklist to help marina facility operators conduct self assessments of their facilities. The first eight marina owners and managers signed pledges to become Ohio Clean Marinas as part of the kick-off ceremony. Two additional workshops to introduce marina operators and owners to the Program and encourage them to participate are scheduled for November.

The Program, housed at Ohio SeaGrant, is a partnership among many organizations including: the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' (ODNR) Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, Office of Coastal Management and Division of Watercraft; Ohio Department of Health; Ohio Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Lake Erie Marine Trades Association; Greater Cleveland Boating Association; local health departments and fire marshals; and marina and yacht club owners and managers. The State will use this Program to help satisfy its marina conditions for the Coastal Nonpoint Program.

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Alabama and Mississippi Launch Clean Marina Program: Alabama and Mississippi recently joined other coastal states by establishing the Alabama-Mississippi Clean Marina Program. This unique bi-state effort is a voluntary, non-regulatory program that promotes responsible marina operating practices in the interest of protecting water quality. It is led by Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium in partnership with many other groups, including Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Lands Division, Coastal Section; Alabama Department of Environmental Management; Auburn University Marine Extension and Research Center; Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality; and the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. The program was developed to reduce nonpoint source pollution and satisfy marina management measures for state Coastal Nonpoint Programs. It will also help marinas protect the very resource that provides livelihood and enjoyment for the Gulf Coast: clean water. Over time, the Clean Marina program will encourage marina operators to use more responsible practices, inform boaters of environmentally sensitive practices, and create better communication of existing laws by offering recognition for creative and proactive marina operators implementing these practices.

Alabama has so far designated two marinas as Clean Marinas: Zeke's Landing Marina in Orange Beach and Dog River Marina in Mobile. There are several more marinas in Alabama pledged to work toward designation within the next year. Likewise, Mississippi has also designated the Beau Rivage Marina in Biloxi as its first Clean Marina, with additional pledges slated for designation within the next year. After being designated as a Clean Marina, the marina receives a flag to fly on the property letting everyone know at a glance that they are going the extra mile to protect our waters. Designated Clean Marinas will also be authorized to use the Clean Marina logo on their letterhead and in all their advertising, and will be promoted through Alabama-Mississippi Clean Marina web sites, publications and public displays.

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Delaware Launches Clean Marina Program: Delaware officially launched its Clean Marina Program on June 16, 2003 during a press event held at the Indian River Marina in Rehoboth Beach. The Delaware Clean Marina Program, a partnership between DNREC's Divisions of Soil and Water and Water Resources, University of Delaware's Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service and the Center for the Inland Bays, is a voluntary, incentive-based program that encourages marina operators and recreational boaters to protect coastal water quality by engaging in environmentally sound operating and maintenance procedures. The program offers information, guidance, and technical assistance to marina operators, local governments, and recreational boaters on best management practices (BMPs) that can be used to prevent or reduce pollution.

Clean Marina designations recognize the environmental stewardship of marinas for exceeding regulatory requirements by voluntarily incorporating higher environmental standards into daily operations. During the kick-off press event, six marina owners/operators signed the "Clean Marina Pledge" stating that, within the next year, they pledge to identify opportunities and implement practices to control pollution associated with vessel maintenance and repair, sewage disposal, hazardous waste, storm water runoff, and other topics outlined in the Delaware Clean Marina Guidebook.

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Connecticut Certifies First Clean Marina: On June 16th, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recognized Saybrook Point Inn, Marina and Spa in Old Saybrook as the first marina in the state to be certified as a "Connecticut Clean Marina." To become a certified Connecticut Clean Marina, a marina operator must show that their facility operates in compliance with all applicable environmental regulatory requirements, and demonstrate voluntary operation at standards above and beyond regulatory requirements. Certified Clean Marinas are authorized to fly the Clean Marina flag and to use the Clean Marina logo on their publications and letterhead. DEP will also promote certified Clean Marinas through the Clean Marina Program's public outreach efforts. Connecticut began developing its Clean Marina Program winter 2000 to reduce nonpoint source pollution from the state's 350 coastal and inland marinas and boatyards and satisfy the marina management measures for its Coastal Nonpoint Program. The development of the new, voluntary program was guided by a Clean Marina Steering Committee, consisting of marina operators and owners, harbor masters, and representatives from the Connecticut Marine Trades Association, and relevant state and federal agencies. As part of the Clean Marina Program, the State has created and distributed a Clean Marina Guidebook which was released last fall. The Guidebook recommends BMPs marina operators and boat owners can implement to reduce nonpoint source pollution and also lists the environmental standards marinas must meet to be certified as a Clean Marina. To date, 19 other marinas have signed pledges to become Clean Marinas and DEP is planning another certification ceremony soon for its second Clean Marina. In conjunction with its new Clean Marina Program, Connecticut is kicking off its Clean Boater Program this summer. The Clean Boater Program encourages boaters to pledge to use clean boating practices and to demand higher environmental standards from the facility they choose. The CT Boating Division has hired seasonal boating education assistants to assist the statexs boat pump-out operators in distributing clean boating educational materials to boaters to inform them of the program and clean boating practices they can use.

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Massachusetts--Making a Splash with its Clean Marina Initiative: During the past several years, the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program has initiated several programs to reduce nonpoint source pollution from marina and boating activities along its coastline. Beginning in 2001, they released their new Clean Marina Guide, containing numerous practices to limit polluted runoff from marinas. Building on the Clean Marina Guide, the CZM program secured a $30,000 Pollution Prevention Incentives for States grant from EPA to conduct technical assistance visits to eight marinas located within two Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Six of the eight marinas chose to participate in the voluntary program. CZM staff teamed up with staff from the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) Office of Technical Assistance who help small businesses with toxic reduction issues to conduct site visits at each marina. During the visits, the evaluation team went through the checklist provided in the Clean Marina Guide and recommended BMPs the marinas could implement to improve their facilities. No enforcement actions were taken during the visits. As follow up to this pilot program, CZM invited the participating marinas to apply for up to $5,000 in funding to implement the recommended BMPs. While no marinas applied for this funding for various reasons, CZM is revamping the grant program to target a specific issue-pressure washing-and believe they will have a better response this time. With support from the 6217 program, CZM also carried out a bilge sock pilot project, distributing 18,000 free bilge socks to boaters last summer. The socks permanently bind oil, diesel and other petroleum products from the bilge water. Each sock had an informational card attached explaining what the bilge sock does and why it is important. The card also contained several clean boating tips related to oil control. CZM estimated that if every sock was used, their efforts prevented 1,000s of gallons of oil from entering coastal waters. The Program was an important outreach tool, educating boaters about the damage oil can have on the environment and demonstrating how an inexpensive product can really make a difference. To further reduce the impacts of boats on water quality, CZM also awarded grants to towns and other public entities to replace old, polluting, 2-stroke outboard motors with either new 4-stroke engines or direct-inject 2-stroke engines which meet the 2006 EPA standard. In all, the 75% cost-share grants supported the purchase of 14 new engines over the past two years. The motors are now used on harbormaster and shellfish warden boats which commonly travel in shallow-water sensitive habitats that can be seriously impacted by oil pollution. The old 2-stroke engines must be retired as part of the grant requirement and cannot be placed on another boat. To complement this effort, CZM also teamed up with the Massachusetts Marine Trade Association and EPA to encourage boat and engine dealers to promote 4-stroke engines. Finally, CZM, EOEA, and EPA designated all of Buzzards Bay as a No Discharge Area (NDA) for boat sewage. Encompassing 210 square miles in 11 coastal communities, Buzzards Bay is now the largest NDA in the state. The state's Division of Marine Fisheries, the Urban Harbors Institute at UMASS/Boston, EPA, and CZM are also teaming up to collect information on the use and availability of boat pumpout facilities along the Massachusetts coast.

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Wisconsin Developed and Distributed Clean Boating Brochure: Boaters throughout Wisconsin have been increasingly concerned about the aquatic environment. A recent Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) survey of boaters across the state also found that 95% were concerned about the marine environment and believed that environmentally conscious planning was important. Therefore, to address this growing public concern and potential environmental impacts from the boating industry, the WI DNR has developed a Clean Boating brochure, ShipShape, A Guide to Reducing Pollutants for Marinas, Boaters and Other Coastal Costumers. The DNR drew on established Clean Marina Programs, such as Maryland's, to craft their brochure. The extensive guide provides background information about the environmental impacts of marinas and boating, explains why it is important to adopt environmentally conscious boating habits, and describes various BMPs that boaters and marina operators can implement. The BMPs discussed address all of the (g) management measures for marinas. Wisconsin included the brochure as an insert in the August 2002 issue of its Wisconsin Natural Resource Magazine which is distributed to 130,000 individuals and organizations, including all state-licensed boaters and fishermen. In addition, 15,000 stand-alone copies will be distributed to every marina in the state and at boating events statewide.

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