News Release

Fish and Wildlife Service

For release October 31, 1994         Robert Pacific  703-358-1845
                                  Patricia W. Fisher 202-208-5634

  FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE ANNOUNCES AWARD OF CLEAN VESSEL ACT
                         PUMPOUT GRANTS

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded $7.1 million in grants for 36 projects nationwide to provide pumpout and dump stations for boaters to dispose of waste in an environmentally safe manner. Pumpout stations are used to pump waste out of recreational boat holding tanks and dump stations are used to empty portable toilets.

The projects selected by the Service involve requests for construction of 673 pumpout stations and 502 dump stations in 33 states, aquatic education programs in 26 states, surveys and plans in 4 coastal states, and miscellaneous projects such as upgrading waste treatment facilities to accept marine sewage and operation and maintenance in 14 states.

The Clean Vessel Act Pumpout Grant Program makes matching grants available, through a competitive process, to all states for construction and education efforts, and to coastal states to conduct surveys and develop plans. In addition to the Service grants, the states will contribute $2.6 million to the projects.

The grants come from the Sport Fish Restoration Account of the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, commonly known as the Wallop-Breaux Fund. That fund results from a 10-percent excise tax on fishing equipment and a 3-percent tax on electric trolling motors and sonar fish finders, a portion of the Federal fuels tax, and import duties on fishing tackle and pleasure boats.

Not only does this program benefit boaters, who will have more numerous and convenient facilities to use, but also the public and the environment as a whole. Discharging waste into waters introduces disease-carrying microorganisms that contaminate aquatic environments and significantly impair their recreational value. People can be placed at risk by eating shellfish taken from, and by swimming in, affected bodies of water. In addition, abundant decaying wastes can deplete oxygen levels in the water, making it difficult for fish and other marine species to survive.

The following projects will be funded this year:

ALABAMA ($144,800)

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management asked to build nine pumpout stations and implement an education program.

ARKANSAS ($47,400)

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission asked to build six pumpout stations.

CALIFORNIA ($359,500)

The California Department of Boating and Waterways asked to build 50 pumpout stations and 62 dump stations and implement an education program.

COLORADO ($19,500)

The Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation asked to build one pumpout station and one dump station and implement an education program.

CONNECTICUT ($397,200)

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection asked to build 34 pumpout stations and 26 dump stations and implement an education program.

DELAWARE ($82,100)

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control asked to build four pumpout stations and five dump stations and implement an education program.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ($34,400)

The District of Columbia asked to build four pumpout stations and implement an education program.

FLORIDA ($578,123)

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection asked to build 42 pumpout stations and implement an education program.

GEORGIA ($10,954)

The Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources will conduct a pumpout survey.

IDAHO ($19,800)

The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation asked to build one pumpout station and one dump station.

INDIANA ($104,700)

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management asked to build 11 pumpout stations and implement an education program.

KENTUCKY ($67,300)

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources asked to build six pumpout stations and implement an education program.

LOUISIANA ($204,200)

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries asked to build 15 pumpout stations and implement an education program.

MARYLAND ($578,100)

The Boating Administration of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources asked to build 76 pumpout stations and implement an education program.

MASSACHUSETTS ($578,100)

The Massachusetts Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement asked to build 36 pumpout stations and 12 dump stations and implement an education program.

MICHIGAN ($163,100)

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources asked to build 50 dump stations, and implement an education program.

MINNESOTA ($60,800)

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources asked to build 10 pumpout stations.

MISSISSIPPI ($83,700)

The Bureau of Marine Resources of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks asked to build 10 pumpout stations and implement an education program.

MONTANA ($19,300)

Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks asked to build four pumpout stations and implement an education program.

NEBRASKA ($76,500)

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission asked to build three pumpout stations and three dump stations.

NEW HAMPSHIRE ($27,848)

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services will conduct a survey, develop a plan, and build two pumpout stations.

NEW JERSEY ($507,600)

The Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy asked to build 45 pumpout stations and 174 dump stations, and implement an education program.

NEW YORK ($507,600)

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation asked to build 67 pumpout stations and implement an education program.

OHIO ($102,930)

The Ohio Department of Health will conduct a survey, develop a plan, build 12 pumpout stations and 12 dump stations, and implement an education plan.

OKLAHOMA ($30,300)

The state of Oklahoma asked to build four pumpout stations.

OREGON ($314,300)

The Oregon Marine Board asked to build 13 pumpout stations and 20 dump stations and implement an education program.

PENNSYLVANIA ($107,200)

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission asked to build 11 pumpout stations and three dump stations and implement an education program.

PUERTO RICO ($76,500)

The Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources will develop a plan and implement an education program.

RHODE ISLAND ($158,100)

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management asked to build five pumpout stations and implement an education program.

SOUTH CAROLINA ($267,900)

The South Carolina Coastal Council asked to build 28 pumpout stations and implement an education program.

TENNESSEE ($252,400)

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency asked to build 71 pumpout stations.

TEXAS ($317,300)

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department asked to build 40 pumpout stations and 84 dump stations.

VIRGIN ISLANDS ($25,000)

The Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources- Division of Fish and Wildlife, and the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service-University of the Virgin Islands will implement an education program.

VIRGINIA ($163,300)

The Virginia Department of Health, through the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, asked to build 25 pumpout stations and 25 dump stations and implement an education program.

WASHINGTON ($569,100)

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission asked to build 24 pumpout stations and 24 dump stations, and implement an education program.

WISCONSIN ($19,950)

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will build four pumpout stations.

-DOI-