Discharges from Vessels

Note: the materials on this page are from a stakeholder and legislative development process in 2003-2004. For information on permitting of graywater/blackwater discharges from large commercial passenger vessels, see the Large Commercial Passenger Vessel Page.

Materials

DEP handout from hearing on 2/10/04.

Revised summary and recommendations.

Draft amendments
(2/8/04) Corrected typographical error (removed repeated word).

Draft amendments. (2/3/04). Change from the 1/28/04 draft is as follows:

Sec. 5. Report concerning air emissions. The Department of Environmental Protection shall submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources by January 15 ~~January 1~~, 2005 concerning issues related to air emissions from vessels. The report shall include draft legislation necessary to implement any proposal. The Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources may report out legislation during the First Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature relating to air emissions from vessels.

Draft amendments. (1/28/04)

Go Here for recent pumpout report.

Vessel Discharge Report

October 20, 2003. Strawman #3. For likely consideration, please send comments to Hetty Richardson and/or Pam Parker no later than October 26.

Meeting on 9/15/03. Agenda; Strawman #2; effluent chart handout; meeting summary; persons attending.

Meeting on 8/25/03. Agenda; Draft ranking system for no discharge area designation; meeting summary; persons attending.

Meeting on 7/24/03. Agenda; slides from introductory talks (existing legal framework; potential impacts); meeting summary; persons attending.

Initial descriptions of issues/concerns from group members:

Diane Gould (US Environmental Protection Agency).
Joe Payne, (Friends of Casco Bay). Second email.
Charlie Phippen, Harbormaster (Bar Harbor)
Ted Thompson (International Council of Cruise Lines). Three attachments, A, B, and C.
Pattie Aho (Maine Petroleum Association). One attachment.
Carolyn Manson (Maine Tourism Association). (note: scanning may have introduced minor errors that were not in the original text)

August 8 letter from Ted Thompson (International Council of Cruise Lines) addressing the comments of Diane Gould (above).

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Chapter 79 (emergency, effective 6/18/03), "Resolve, to Study the Implementation of a Plan to Prohibit the Discharge of Certain Wastewater into Coastal Waters", requires the Maine DEP to recommend a plan, including any suggested legislation necessary to implement the plan, for prohibiting or regulating the discharge of sewage and gray water from vessels into the coastal waters of the State, to the Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources no later than November 1, 2003. Note: Chapter 79 derives from LD 1271 as amended by H-207.

Chapter 79.

The Maine DEP is required to convene a stakeholder group to assist the department in developing the plan. See the resolve for further details.

The group needs to include the following in its review:

1. The issues identified in LD 1158 (off-site). (Note: bill has been carried over to next session.)

2. The benefits and detriments to identifying certain waters in Casco Bay as no-discharge zones prior to applying to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for designation of up to 50 significant harbors or bays in the territorial waters of the State as no-discharge zones pursuant to Public Law 1999, chapter 655.

3. A process for determining the boundaries of those waters that should be designated as no-discharge zones; and

4. The parameters for the regulation of gray water, including vessel weight and vessel passenger capacity.

Contacts: Hetty Richardson (287-7799) or Pam Parker (287-7905)