Salem Sound and Surrounding Towns Seek “No Discharge” Designation to Stem Boat Pollution
|
 |
Category: WaterType: News
Source: EPA
Date: Friday, May 16th, 2008
(Boston, Massachusetts - May 16, 2008) - E.P.A. is reviewing a suggestion from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the state designation of Salem Sound and the surround town waters of Manchester-by-the-sea, Beverly, Danvers, and Marblehead as a "No Discharge" area.
If approved, discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage would be prohibited within the town boundaries and the Massachusetts state waters.
The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (MA CZM) has petitioned E.P.A. to approve the No Discharge designation. E.P.A. has in turn published the request in the Federal Register and will accept public comments on the suggestion for 30 days, until June 16, 2008.
"Expanding "No Discharge" areas is an important way to enhance coastal water quality, and making people's enjoyment of New England's coastal areas that much more healthy and enjoyable," said Robert Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England office.
To quality for a No Discharge designation, the applicant must show there are enough "pumpout" facilities where boaters can get their sewage holding tanks pumped out. This particular area has an estimated 7,000 boats, of which only 3,590 are large enough to have a "head" or toilet on board. There are a total of 7 pumpout facilities in the suggested area and 2 pending pumpout facilities. In addition, there will be a facility on the Beverly pier, once redevelopment is complete. There are approximately 33 marinas and yacht clubs; 5 public landings and piers; and forty-two beaches located within the suggested No Discharge Area.
Boat sewage can lead to health problems for swimmers, closed shellfish beds and the overall degradation of marine habitats.
The Salem Sound Coastwatch initiated the No Discharge Area designation process in the summer of 2006 to safeguard local marine resources. Massachusetts CZM held an informational meeting in the area where staff presented an overview of the suggested area for designation, outlined the designation process, described the beneficial environmental impacts of establishing the No Discharge Area and received input from the public.
Many other areas in New England already have designated their coastal waters as No Discharge areas, or are in the process of doing so. These include:
- All state marine waters of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire
- In Massachusetts: Harwich, Waquoit Bay, Nantucket Harbor, Wellfleet, Barnstable, and Buzzards Bay (including Wareham and Westport), Plymouth/Duxbury/Kingston area; and Marshfield/Scituate/Cohasset;
- In Maine, Casco Bay;
- Lake Champlain in Vermont and New York, and Lake Memphremagog in Vermont and Quebec.
More information:
No Discharge Areas in New England (epa.gov/region1/eco/nodiscrg)
There are currently no comments for this story. Be the first to
add a comment!
Click here to add a comment about this story.
Three Coastal Massachusetts Towns – Cohasset, Marshfield and Scituate – Gain “No Discharge” Designation to Stem Boat Pollution
... This status means that discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage are prohibited within these Massachusetts state waters. In April, the Massachusetts ... in the Federal Register (epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2008/May/Day-22/w11485.htm) ...
16 North Shore Mass.Towns Seek “No Discharge” Designation to Stem Boat Pollution
... a suggestion from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to designate the remaining coastal waters of the North Shore as a "No Discharge Area." If approved, discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage would be prohibited within the town boundaries of ...
Camden, Rockport and Rockland, Maine Seek “No Discharge” Designation to Stem Boat Pollution
... of Owls Head as a "No Discharge Area." If approved, discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage would be prohibited within the town boundaries. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP) ...
Boothbay Harbor Looks for “No Discharge” Designation to Stem Boat Pollution
... of Boothbay Harbor as a "No Discharge Area." If approved, discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage would be prohibited within the town boundaries. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP ...
Parts of Massachusetts North Shore Seek “No Discharge” Designation to Stem Boat Pollution
... If approved, discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage would be prohibited within the town boundaries. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has petitioned E.P.A. to approve the No Discharge designation. E.P.A. has in turn ...
3 Towns in Southern Maine Seek “No Discharge” Designation to Stem Boat Pollution
... Kennebunk and Wells as "No Discharge Areas." If approved, discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage would be prohibited within the town boundaries. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME ...
11 Cape Communities Limit Boat Pollution with “No Discharge” Designation in Cape Cod Bay - Biggest single protected area in the Northeast
... "No Discharge" area. This status means that discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage are prohibited within these Massachusetts state waters, including the Towns of Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, ...
Five Coastal Massachusetts Towns Stem Boat Pollution as Salem Harbor Gains “No Discharge” Designation
... a "No Discharge" area. This status means that discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage are prohibited within the Massachusetts state waters of Beverly, Danvers, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead and Salem. ...
Cape Cod Bay and Surrounding Towns Seek “No Discharge” Designation to Stem Boat Pollution
... of treated and untreated boat sewage would be prohibited within the town boundaries and the Massachusetts state waters. The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (MA CZM) has petitioned E.P.A. to approve ...
3 Coastal Massachusetts Towns Seek “No Discharge” Designation to Stem Boat Pollution
... status means that discharges of treated and untreated boat sewage would be prohibited within Massachusetts state waters. The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management has petitioned E.P.A. to approve ...
