Mid Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay - $10,000 fine for TREATED waste?

Just received an email that Maryland is holding a hearing on or about 19 March for a bill that will ban treated waste from Type I and II Marine Sanitation Devices (like a LectraSan) from all MD waters. Personally, I have a tank, but another offshoot of this will be the dye test DNR can perform on ANY boat with a head and can impose this increased fine should they find any of this colorful fluid floating around the vessel that probably does more harm to the environment than the treated waste itself. Anyway, if this burns your bilge :mad: here is a website that covers the bill, hearing dates, as well as the list of those who sponsored it.

http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/billfile/hb1257.htm

Just think of the money to be made at Blue Plains on a rainy day.

I see a lot of guys still pumping un treated was overboard

I see a lot of guys still pumping un treated was overboard

I don't understand how one could see a macerator being operated unless the boat wasn't moving...

Are we assuming that you're talking about their using the macerator, or do people hook up hand pumps to the pumpout port?

should have said heard reports that people to cheap for pump outs were still doing it!

just think of the money to be made at blue plains on a rainy day.

for real!!

woops

I misunderstood :(

I think most people who macerate are live aboards who are to cheap to go to a pump out station. Coast Gaurd or DNR should be checking marina's for slip holders that do not move out of there slip. That's my 1.5 cents

Over correction. Instead of going after the real problem, Frank Perdue and every treatment plant in the watershed lets bust the guy who sh*t in a bucket.

This bill is complete BS!!! Last year I spent a bucket load of money installing 2 Electra Scans so I wouldn't have to worry about pumping out anymore. Beside the ES I installed new heads, hoses and actually removed my holding tank. Now the "government" wants to protect the bay from people like me while letting the chicken farmers and developers off the hook. Besides that I think the city of baltimore accidently spilled a few millions of gallons of raw sewage last year.

This is 1000% BS. They are not attacking the problems, but going after the easy marks that may have a little extra money laying around.

The over burdened sewage plant in Charlestown (Cecil County) spills all sorts of stuff during heavy rains. One of these spills is way more potent than a handfull of boaters not following the rules.

The good news, Charlestown is expanding at a record pace along the RT 40 development area. More homes pumping into the system = more raw sewage.

the bay needs help and most of it is caused by non-point discharge ie highways and storm drainage!

I really don't understand what you are saying. I have a "porti-john" on my boat. It holds the urine and fecal matter inside the toilet itself. Is this illegal to have on the boat? If so, Maryland is classifying a toilet the same as pot and narcotics-illegal to have in your possession!

where do fish take a dump?