Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection issued the following announcement on March 7.
Recreational boaters and marine facility operators in Connecticut continue to demonstrate their strong commitment to clean and healthy waters. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that during the 2018 boating season, stationary and mobile sewage disposal facilities removed more than 1 million gallons of recreational boat sewage from vessels in Long Island Sound and major tributaries, along with Candlewood Lake. This marks the fourth consecutive year that more than 1 million gallons of boat sewage was removed from recreational boats in Connecticut. Under Connecticut state law no person shall improperly discharge sewage from any vessel.
"With the support of Connecticut boaters and pumpout facility operators, we continue to maintain a high volume of waste removal under this program," said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. "The recreational boating industry supports more than 7,300 jobs in Connecticut, with an annual economic impact of more than $1.3 billion. To support this vital industry we must keep our waters clean and healthy in order to protect our excellent water-based recreational opportunities in the state."
Additionally, for the 2019 boating season, 43 marine facilities will receive more than $1 million in funding under the DEEP’s annual Federal Clean Vessel Act (CVA) program. This program is an effort to improve water quality in Connecticut’s navigable waterways and is managed through the DEEP Boating Division. It provides federally funded matching grants for qualifying projects that provide boat sewage disposal facilities, more commonly known as pumpouts. The marine facilities provide 25% of the cost of each project. Seven of the 43 grant recipients will receive funding for the construction of new or replacement pumpout stations or boats. The remaining projects fund operation and maintenance of land based pumpouts and pumpout boats.
The CVA program keeps Long Island and Fishers Island Sounds, tidal rivers and Candlewood Lake cleaner and more enjoyable for boating, swimming, fishing and improves the overall ecological health of these important waterways.
Funding for CVA program comes from the Sport Fishing and Boating Trust Fund, which is supported by excise taxes on certain fishing and boating equipment. DEEP partners with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and issues grants to marine facilities and programs through the CVA Grant Program. This program helps keep coastal waters clean and safe for recreation by safely disposing of millions of gallons of boaters’ sewage annually.
For more information about this program, visit the DEEP Boating webpage at www.ct.gov/deep/boating or contact Kate Hughes Brown, BIG/CVA Program Coordinator, at (860) 447-4340 or by email at kate.brown@ct.gov.
Original source can be found here.
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