| Michaud Votes to Protect Maine Boaters and Fishermen from Burdensome Regulation |
| Monday, July 21 2008 | |
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WASHINGTON, DC
- Today, Congressman Mike Michaud joined many of his colleagues in supporting two
bills which will prevent recreational boats and commercial fishing vessels from
becoming subject to burdensome regulations under the Clean Water Act. The two bills, S. 2766 and S. 3298, passed by
voice vote in the House of Representatives after being considered in the
Senate. The bills reverse a September 2006 U.S. District Court decision which
overturned longstanding exclusions for recreational boats and commercial
fishing vessels from permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act.
"Recreational boating and commercial fishing are vital to our state," said Michaud. "Certain wastes that are harmful to our waterways like rubbish and trash remain banned under these bills, but other discharges which have always been allowed like deck runoff will continue to be allowed. Especially now when our fishermen and even our recreational boaters are facing high fuel, prices the last thing we need to do is burden them with unneeded regulations." S. 2766 will preserve the current exemption from permitting requirements for recreational boats, and includes language Congressman Michaud cosponsored in a similar bill, H.R. 2550, Recreational Boating Act of 2007. S. 3298 places a 2-year moratorium on any permitting of commercial fishing vessels, effectively exempting them for at least two more years, and requires a study of discharges from these vessels in the interim. Congressman Michaud also has sent letter to the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator calling for any vessel such as recreational boats and most commercial fishing vessels that do not make international voyages and do not have ballast tanks to be exempted from permitting under any new regulations issued by the agency. ### |