E.P.A. Reviews N.H. Request to Designate Coastal Waters No Discharge Area
Category:Water Type: News Source: EPA Date: Friday, July 8th, 2005
Contact: David Deegan (deegan.dave@epa.gov), E.P.A. Office of Public Affairs, (617) 918-1017
Jim Martin, New Hampshire DES, (603) 271-3710
For Immediate Release: July 8, 2005; Release # dd050704
BOSTON - E.P.A. is considering a New Hampshire request to designate its coastal waters as a "No Discharge Area," where discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage would be prohibited within 3 miles of the shore.
The state has suggested that all of the New Hampshire coastal waters be given this designation. To qualify for a No Discharge designation, the applicant must show there are enough "pumpout" facilities where boaters can get their holding tanks pumped for proper disposal.
A petition requesting E.P.A. approval was submitted by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES). The petition was published this week in the Federal Register and is subject to a 45-day public review period, which will end on August 22, 2005.
"The New Hampshire coastline provides important economic and recreational resources," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. "Establishing 'No Discharge Areas' can help enhance coastal water quality throughout New England, resulting in cleaner beaches and shellfish beds, and healthier boating overall."
The N.H. request calculates that the state's coastline supports an estimated 4,593 boats, of which only 962 are large enough to have a "head" or toilet on board. The pumpout facilities include 5 that are fixed or shore based, and one that is a pumpout boat.
New Hampshire was one of the 1st states in the country to establish No Discharge Areas when it designated all its inland waters as no discharge in 1975. The current N.H. application would emulate the lake boating inspection plan on the state's coastline. Boat sewage can lead to health problems for swimmers, closed shellfish beds and the overall degradation of marine habitats.
"A No Discharge Area in New Hampshire's coastal waters will help to enhance water quality by reducing nitrogen and bacteria found in human wastes," said DES Commissioner Michael Nolin. "New Hampshire's coastal waters are host to a wide variety of fish and shellfish. Any efforts to help reduce pollution to these sensitive areas will be beneficial."
If E.P.A. approves the designation request, N.H. will be the 2nd New England state to designate all of its coastal waters as No Discharge.
Other areas in New England with No Discharge areas include:
All of Rhode Island's marine waters, including Block Island's Great Salt Pond;
In Massachusetts: Barnstable, Harwich, Waquoit Bay, Nantucket Harbor, Wellfleet, and Buzzards Bay (including Wareham and Westport);
In Connecticut: Stonington Harbor, Groton/Mystic area;
In Vermont: Lake Champlain, Lake George, and Lake Memphremagog.
E.P.A. will accept public comments on N.H.'s suggested designation for 45 days (ending on Aug. 22). E.P.A. will also carefully evaluate the State's request before making a final decision.
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