Clean Boating Act of 2008

Clean Boating Act of 2008
Great Seal of the United States
Long titleAn Act to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to address certain discharges incidental to the normal operation of a recreational vessel
Acronyms (colloquial)CBA
Enacted bythe 110th United States Congress
Citations
Public law110-288
Statutes at Large122 Stat. 2650
Codification
Acts amendedFederal Water Pollution Control Act
Titles amended33 U.S.C.: Navigable Waters
U.S.C. sections created33 U.S.C. § 1322(o)
U.S.C. sections amended33 U.S.C. § 1342, 33 U.S.C. § 1362
Legislative history
  • Introduced in the Senate as S. 2766 by Bill Nelson (D–FL) on March 13, 2008
  • Passed the Senate on 22 July, 2008 
  • Passed the House on 22 July, 2008 
  • Signed into law by President George W. Bush on 2008-07-29

The Clean Boating Act of 2008 (CBA) is a United States law that requires recreational vessels to implement best management practices to control pollution discharges. The law exempts these vessels from requirements to obtain a discharge permit under the Clean Water Act (i.e. they are exempt from coverage under the EPA Vessels General Permit).[1][2]

The CBA amended the Clean Water Act (CWA) and directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop performance standard regulations. The regulations will not apply to sewage discharges from recreational vessels, which are already regulated under the CWA. (See Marine sanitation device.)[3][4] The CBA designated the U.S. Coast Guard as the enforcing agency.[3]

In 2011 EPA conducted public meetings to obtain public comment about developing CBA regulations.[5] As of 2020, EPA has not announced a schedule for issuing the regulations.[3]

  1. ^ United States. Clean Boating Act of 2008, Pub. L. 110–288 (text) (PDF), approved July 29, 2008. Added sec. 312(o) to the Clean Water Act; 33 U.S.C. § 1322.
  2. ^ "History of the Clean Boating Act". Vessels, Marinas and Ports. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2017-02-02.
  3. ^ a b c "About the Clean Boating Act". Vessels, Marinas and Ports. EPA. 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  4. ^ "Vessel Sewage Discharges". Vessels, Marinas and Ports. EPA. 2017-02-02.
  5. ^ EPA. "Stakeholder Input: Listening Session to Provide Information and Solicit Suggestions for Regulations Forthcoming Under the Clean Water Act." Federal Register, 76 FR 11980. 2011-04-11.