FWS Awards $12.8 M to 31 States for Sewage Pumpout Facilities
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acting Director Rowan Gould announced that $12.8 million will be awarded to 31 states under the Clean Vessel Act grant program in 2010. The grants will be used to fund the construction and installation of sewage pumpout facilities and floating restrooms, to purchase pumpout boats and to provide educational programs for recreational boaters.
“Clean Vessel Act funding supports the construction of facilities in communities that depend largely on recreational boating for their economy – and depend on clean water for their health and the health of their environment,” said Gould.
Funding for the program comes from the Sport Fishing and Boating Trust Fund, formerly known as the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, which is supported by excise taxes levied on certain fishing and boating equipment and boat fuels.
Some of the major awards include:
- Alabama: $288,566 – The Alabama Department of Environmental Management plans to install 10 sewage pumpout stations for its inland and coastal waters. In addition, the agency plans to maintain its efforts to inform boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal and its benefits to the aquatic environment.
- California: $2,462,451 – The California Department of Boating and Waterways plans to construct, install, upgrade and/or renovate four coastal pumpouts and one coastal dump station facility. They will also purchase one pumpout boat for use along the coast and propose to install nine floating restrooms and two pumpouts or dump stations along inland waterways.
- Florida: $1,917,042 – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection plans to install 51 pumpout facilities for inland and coastal waters, provide operation and maintenance of existing pumpouts, and provide education for boaters and marine facility operators regarding the importance of proper sewage disposal.
- Maryland: $745,000 – The Maryland Department of Natural Resources plans to install 10 new pumpouts facilities, renovate 22 pumpout facilities, provide operation and maintenance funding for existing pumpout facilities, educate boaters and marina operators about the importance of proper sewage disposal. The Department will also undertake a statewide pumpout inspection program where staff will be visiting every pumpout in the state, conducting operational testing, and updating database information to ensure that they are providing accurate pumpout information. Projects will be located throughout the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and coastal bays.
- Nevada: $39,242 – The state of Nevada plans to repair and upgrade existing sewage pumpout and waste reception facilities in the Hemenway Harbor area of Lake Mead.
- Tennessee: $1,106,369 – The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency plans to install 27 sewage pumpout facilities and to renovate four sewage pumpout facilities throughout the state. The agency will also continue its efforts to educate boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal and its benefits to aquatic environments.
- Utah: $3,500 – The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will fund administrative costs associated with managing the Clean Vessel Act grants in the state.