Skip Maine state header navigation

Agencies | Online Services | Help

Skip First Level Navigation | Skip All Navigation

L&W Home > Grants & Loans > Pump-out Program > Overview

Pump-out Program Overview

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to administer the Pump-out Grant Program, part of the recently re-authorized Clean Vessel Act. The purpose of the Clean Vessel Act is to reduce the pollution from recreational vessels by providing a safe and legal method for disposing of human sanitary waste. Improperly disposed waste from malfunctioning or non-existent marine sanitation devices (MSDs) often causes serious water quality problems throughout Maine. Through the Maine Coastal Pump-out Grant Program, DEP hopes to better: define the number of boats with installed MSDs, determine whether the average MSDs are operable and whether they are actually used; determine why they are not used; and eliminate the barriers to proper MSD use. The goals are to provide adequate holding tank pump-out locations along the entire coast, further improving accessibility to pump-out facilities by locating mobile pump-out vessels in strategic locations along the coast, and educating the boating public on the importance of responsible sanitary waste management. The following is a brief summary of the Maine program.

  • Develop, distribute and collect boat owner and marina survey.
  • Identify managers for mobile pump-out vessels in Penobscot Bay and Mount Desert.
  • Develop an Education & Outreach plan for boat owners to encourage the use of pump-outs.
  • Update and validate the approximate number of vessels with MSDs using Maine’s coastal waters and update 1995 Maine Marine Sewage Management Plan.
  • Develop, print, and distribute Education & Outreach materials and fully implement plan.
  • Install at least ten new pump-out facilities annually.
  • Annually, check pump-out use data to measure effectiveness.

The Grant Program's main function is to fund new pump-out facilities. New pump-out facilities, including pumps, storage facilities, connections to municipal sewer, and any site work needed as part of the installation are eligible for a 75% grant from the DEP. In addition, DEP will also fund 75% of the annual operating cost of the pump-out station including disposal costs, electric costs and personnel cost if the facility is not self serve. In order to be eligible for the grant, the managing facility is restricted to charging a maximum of $5 per visit, and if applying for operational cost grant, must keep fairly detailed records for submission to the DEP. This information will be used to track use, and general vessel information (size, type, hailing port, time since last pump-out).

The DEP will also be siting 2 mobile pump-out vessels, similar to that operated by Friend of Casco Bay, in West Penobscot Bay and the Mount Desert area. These pump-out vessels will also be eligible for an operational stipend.

Finally, after DEP is comfortable that a certain sensitive harbors or bays have adequate pump-out facilities, we will be applying for "No Discharge Zones" for those areas. If granted, no discharge from any MSD would be allowed in the area. DEP does not foresee the entire coast of Maine being declared a "No Discharge Zone", however, a number of harbors and probably some bays will be proposed starting in 2001.

If you would like more information about the pump-out grant program, please contact Pamela Parker at (207) 287-7905 or e-mail.