Boating Act Causing Controversy

The proposed federal Clean Boating Act of 2008 is creating controversy in the boating community, because of the cost of a permit boaters would have to buy, and a fine of $32,500 violators would have to pay. EPA officials deny that a fine was ever part of the plan, and say that while they have no intention of charging a fee for the permits, each state may choose to tack on fees. According to the EPA, the original reason for the regulations were to avoid the spreading of an invasive species that can travel in the ballast water of large ships into U.S. waters. Now the EPA will have to develop permits that effect not only foreign ships, but U.S. ships and recreational boats. The EPA estimates that the proposed permits may affect 8,000 foreign vessels, 91,000 domestic vessels and 13 million recreational boats.