Got the following from Boat/US today. It announces "Listening Sessions" conducted by EPA concerning the Clean Boating Act. This would be for EPA to hear citizen concerns that may be incorporated into new regulations concerning discharges from boats. This includes bottom paint, rain water, gray water, etc. I'm not sure what to make of it, but with only two sessions scheduled and both in Annapolis, it looks like there have been a lot of decisions already made.

"March 15, 2011

Dear Maryland BoatU.S. Member,

The U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing future “clean boating” requirements for all recreational boats in the next few months, and they need to hear from you. They are hosting “listening sessions” in Annapolis on two different Friday nights, March 18 and April 29. I’m writing to encourage you to attend one night.

Where: Doubletree Hotel, 210 Holiday Court, Annapolis, Maryland, 21401
(This is right off Route 50 with lots of free parking.)
When: March 18th, 7 pm
April 29th, 7 pm

I know it’s a Friday night, and you probably have something better to do! But to date, these are the only live meetings EPA has planned in the entire country. We need you to show up and help EPA know that any new mandatory “best management practices” must be based in science, and should be both practical and realistic on actual boats.

A specific list of the proposed requirements is not yet available. We do know that sewage will not be discussed or covered – it’s part of a different law. It appears that EPA is looking at several broad categories of vessel discharges (including the use of antifouling paints and zincs, grey water (from showers and sinks), bilge water (with concern about oil and grease, which is already illegal to discharge), the use of cleaning products, disposal of garbage and fishing waste, and the transport of invasive species.

For more info from EPA:

http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/vessel/CBA/about.cfm

To see the notice from EPA about the meetings:

http://www.boatus.com/gov/pdf/March2011ListeningSessions.pdf

Please grab a friend and come to one of these meetings prepared to briefly share clean boating practices that you already employ, or that can be easily adopted within your boating. For ideas:

http://www.boatus.com/foundation/cleanwater/

We appreciate your consideration of this opportunity and the value of your time. We hope to see you at one of these sessions so that EPA hears from boaters and knows that boaters need any future requirements to be realistic. "

And some other links.

CBA listening sessions/public input
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/vessel/CBA/participate.cfm

From EPA about CBA
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/vessel/CBA/about.cfm

Text of legislation
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s2766enr.txt.pdf