Marina Owners Facing A Tide Of Environmental Regulations

Marina operators in the region are struggling to meet ever more stringent environmental regulations that most admit are admirable but some say target them unfairly.

The disposal of hazardous waste, fuel-spill prevention and clean-up, storm water runoff and air pollution prevention are just some of the areas being scrutinized by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection.

For most marinas, the cost of dealing with these issues will total at least $20,000; for some, the costs will be $100,000 or more.

“All of these costs are burdensome and difficult for marinas to deal with,” says Ted Sailer, chairman of the board of the Marine Trades Association, a statewide group representing 600 businesses and 10,000 employees in the recreational-boater industry.

Grant Westerson, executive director of the association, agrees. “It's a very expensive process for an industry that doesn't make a lot of money,” he says.

The industry received a wake-up call less than two years ago when regulators took action against several marinas in Rhode Island, imposing fines of up to $140,000 for environmental problems. The fines were reduced after an appeal, but one marina still faced about $50,000 in fines, Westerson says.

“A lot of these things have been on the books for a long time,” says Westerson. “But it was something that wasn't enforced before, and now it is.”

Westerson says Connecticut has about 125 commercial marinas. Of these, he estimates that about half still have a long way to go before they reach full compliance with environmental regulations.

“The average marina doesn't have an extra body to task with these responsibilities,” Westerson explains. “The smaller operations are run ragged as it is.”
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