Alex D
Active Member
WOW!!
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Court Ruling Could Kill Boating
Police could stop boaters at launch ramps, says NMMA President
In September, 2006, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a 34-year-old exemption for recreational boats from an EPA regulation intended to stop ballast water discharge from ocean-going freighters and tankers in U.S. waters. If a higher court or the U.S. Congress does not act, 18 million boats will be required to have special EPA permits that could cost $800 or more, according to Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). The court's ruling goes into effect in September, 2008 – unless something is done.
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NMMA Taking Court Ruling Seriously - 05/23/2007
As ridiculous as it seems, a Federal Appeals Court has ruled that the EPA did not have the power to exempt powerboats from a 34-year-old federal law intended to regulate ballast water discharges from commercial shipping. NMMA president, Thom Dammrich, says that if the industry and boat owners don’t take this threat seriously and get the ruling overturned, they could be stopped by police at launch ramps unless they have expensive EPA permits.
Under the court’s ruling in the case of Northwest Environmental Advocates, et. al. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, et. al., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to develop a permitting program for virtually all of the 18 million recreational boats in the United States by September 2008.
Even though the EPA is appealing the ruling and agrees with the NMMA that the ruling is nonsense, the EPA is nevertheless currently working on plans for the permitting of recreational boats across the country, says Dammrich.
Cargo ships use ballast water to compensate for weight changes as they load and unload cargo, and then pump out the water as needed. But this practice, coupled with the increase in global commerce, mean that more than 10,000 species a day are transported around the world in ballast water. The NMMA also wants to see the ballast water issue addressed as it relates to foreign invasive species because of the damage they pose to the aquatic environment and native fish species.
“The boating community is doing its part through our strong support for legislation that would stop the introduction and spread of invasive species,†said NMMA President Thom Dammrich. “We have also invested in outreach and awareness campaigns to educate current and prospective boaters about how they can do their part to not inadvertently spread invasive species that have been introduced through ballast water.â€
See complete interview with NMMA President Dammrich…click here.
To automatically contact your congressional representatives…click here.
REMEMBER THE LUXURY TAX!!! The 1990 10% “Luxury Tax†on boats over $100,000 nearly killed an entire industry and resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in the U.S. and the demise of several great old boating brands that could not hold out two years until congress corrected its stupid mistake. The lesson learned is: Take this threat Seriously!
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Court Ruling Could Kill Boating
Police could stop boaters at launch ramps, says NMMA President
In September, 2006, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a 34-year-old exemption for recreational boats from an EPA regulation intended to stop ballast water discharge from ocean-going freighters and tankers in U.S. waters. If a higher court or the U.S. Congress does not act, 18 million boats will be required to have special EPA permits that could cost $800 or more, according to Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). The court's ruling goes into effect in September, 2008 – unless something is done.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NMMA Taking Court Ruling Seriously - 05/23/2007
As ridiculous as it seems, a Federal Appeals Court has ruled that the EPA did not have the power to exempt powerboats from a 34-year-old federal law intended to regulate ballast water discharges from commercial shipping. NMMA president, Thom Dammrich, says that if the industry and boat owners don’t take this threat seriously and get the ruling overturned, they could be stopped by police at launch ramps unless they have expensive EPA permits.
Under the court’s ruling in the case of Northwest Environmental Advocates, et. al. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, et. al., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to develop a permitting program for virtually all of the 18 million recreational boats in the United States by September 2008.
Even though the EPA is appealing the ruling and agrees with the NMMA that the ruling is nonsense, the EPA is nevertheless currently working on plans for the permitting of recreational boats across the country, says Dammrich.
Cargo ships use ballast water to compensate for weight changes as they load and unload cargo, and then pump out the water as needed. But this practice, coupled with the increase in global commerce, mean that more than 10,000 species a day are transported around the world in ballast water. The NMMA also wants to see the ballast water issue addressed as it relates to foreign invasive species because of the damage they pose to the aquatic environment and native fish species.
“The boating community is doing its part through our strong support for legislation that would stop the introduction and spread of invasive species,†said NMMA President Thom Dammrich. “We have also invested in outreach and awareness campaigns to educate current and prospective boaters about how they can do their part to not inadvertently spread invasive species that have been introduced through ballast water.â€
See complete interview with NMMA President Dammrich…click here.
To automatically contact your congressional representatives…click here.
REMEMBER THE LUXURY TAX!!! The 1990 10% “Luxury Tax†on boats over $100,000 nearly killed an entire industry and resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in the U.S. and the demise of several great old boating brands that could not hold out two years until congress corrected its stupid mistake. The lesson learned is: Take this threat Seriously!
