Clean Boating Act of 2008

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to address certain discharges incidental to the normal operation of a recreational vessel.

7/22/2008--Reported to House without amendment. (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Clean Boating Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to provide that no permit shall be required by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the national pollutant discharge elimination system for the discharge from a recreational vessel of graywater, bilge water, cooling water, weather deck runoff, oil water separator effluent, or effluent from properly functioning marine engines or for any other discharge that is incidental to the normal operation of such vessel.
Defines a "recreational vessel" as any vessel that is leased, rented, or chartered to a person for that person's pleasure or that is manufactured or used primarily for pleasure, excluding vessels that are subject to Coast Guard inspection and that are engaged in commercial use or that carry paying passengers.
Requires the Administrator to:
(1) determine the discharges that are incidental to the normal operation (excluding sewage) of a recreational vessel for which it is reasonable and practicable to develop management practices to mitigate adverse impacts on U.S. waters within a year of this Act's enactment and to review such determinations every five years; and
(2) develop management practices for recreational vessels to mitigate the adverse impacts of such discharges on U.S. waters. Directs the Administrator, in determining what discharges are incidental to normal operations, to consider:
(1) the nature of the discharge;
(2) its environmental effects;
(3) the practicability of using a management practice;
(4) the effect that such practice would have on the operation, operational capability, or safety of the vessel;
(5) applicable federal and state law and international standards; and
(6) the economic costs of the use of the management practice. Requires the Administrator to:
(1) promulgate federal standards of performance (which may distinguish among vessel types) for each discharge for which such a management practice is developed; and
(2) review them every five years. Requires the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to promulgate regulations governing the design, construction, installation, and use of management practices for recreational vessels as necessary to meet such standards. Prohibits a recreational vessel from operating in or discharging in U.S. waters if such owner or operator is not using applicable management practices in compliance with such regulations.


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Sponsor

• Rep. Steven LaTourette [R, OH-14]
• and 28 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Dan Boren [D, OK-2]
  • Rep. John Campbell [R, CA-48]
  • Rep. John Carter [R, TX-31]
  • Rep. Howard Coble [R, NC-6]
  • Philip English
  • Rep. Sam Farr [D, CA-17]
  • Rep. Bob Filner [D, CA-51]
  • Rep. Jim Gerlach [R, PA-6]
  • Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand [D, NY-20]
  • Virgil Goode
  • Robin Hayes
  • Rep. Steve Israel [D, NY-2]
  • Rep. Steve Kagen [D, WI-8]
  • Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]
  • Rep. Ronald Kind [D, WI-3]
  • Rep. Peter King [R, NY-3]
  • Rep. Ron Klein [D, FL-22]
  • Joseph Knollenberg
  • John Kuhl
  • Rep. Candice Miller [R, MI-10]
  • Rep. Ronald Paul [R, TX-14]
  • Rep. Harold Rogers [R, KY-5]
  • Rep. John Sarbanes [D, MD-3]
  • Rep. Allyson Schwartz [D, PA-13]
  • Christopher Shays
  • Rep. Betty Sutton [D, OH-13]
  • James Walsh
  • Rep. Edward Whitfield [R, KY-1]
  close

Committees

• House Transportation and Infrastructure
• 1 more
  • House Transportation and Infrastructure
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.5949

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
May 01, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Jul 29, 2008: For Further Action See P.L. 110-288 (S. 2766).
• Jul 22, 2008: Reported by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 110-765.
• Added to calendar on Jul 22, 2008: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 488..
• May 15, 2008: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
• May 15, 2008: Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Discharged.
• Added to calendar on May 15, 2008: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote..
• May 02, 2008: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
• May 01, 2008: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
• Introduced on May 01, 2008.

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Related Bills:

• S.2766

Related Issue Areas:

• Water pollution
• Administrative procedure
• Boats and boating
• Coast guard
• 13 more
• Department of Homeland Security
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Environmental protection
• Executive departments
• Law
• Licenses
• Marine engines
• Marine pollution
• Marine resources
• Sports
• Standards
• Transportation
• Water pollution control

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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In the News

May 21, 2008 House Committee Passes EPA Permit Relief Bill

Last Wednesday the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed HR 5949 which is identical to S. 2766. The Senate bill is supposed to come up ...

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May 15, 2008 Action Alert: Help us help boating!

We need some help right now from you to support HR 5949. The Congressional House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is having a markup on HR 5949 ...

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Blog Coverage

January 03, 2009 Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club | Boat Buzz

Tuesday afternoon, July 29, President George Bush signed into law H.R. 5949/S. 2766, the Clean Boating Act of 2008, solidifying continued protection for boaters, anglers and marine enthusiasts all across the country. ...

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December 26, 2008 Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club | Boat Buzz

Tuesday afternoon, July 29, President George Bush signed into law H.R. 5949/S. 2766, the Clean Boating Act of 2008, solidifying continued protection for boaters, anglers and marine enthusiasts all across the country. ...

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Source: Untitled

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December 04, 2008 Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club | Boat Buzz

Tuesday afternoon, July 29, President George Bush signed into law H.R. 5949/S. 2766, the Clean Boating Act of 2008, solidifying continued protection for boaters, anglers and marine enthusiasts all across the country. ...

Was this article useful? Yes or No

Source: Untitled

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