Marine Retailers Association of America PO Box 1127       Oak Park, IL 60304 708.763.9210 phone   -   708.763.9236 fax mraa@mraa.com   -   www.mraa.com Washington Office, PO Box 4593, Annapolis, MD 21403 Phone/Fax 301.858.7149

MRAA Asks All Dealers to Contact
Your Senators Immediately to
Co-Sponsor S. 2766

The Clock is Ticking. We need you to contact your two U.S. Senators to ask them to co-sponsor S. 2766, the Clean Boating Act of 2008.

The Threat. Congress has only six months to correct a terrible wrong imposed on recreational boating by a Federal District judge that would require every boat owner to obtain a yearly federal or state permit to operate every boat owned in every state the boat operates in. The cost could go to $2,000.00 per boat per state.

The Issue. These permits would apply to deck run off, bilge water, engine cooling water and any other water-based operational discharge from a recreational boat. The fines based on citizen suits range up to $32,000 per day. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is already writing the required new federal rule, which is set to go operational on October 1.

What Can You Do? MRAA strongly encourages you and your employees, and your friends and all your boating suppliers to CONTACT YOUR SENATORS and ask them to co-sponsor S. 2766, the Clean Boating Act of 2008. To assist you in this process, MRAA urges you to go to a special web-site, www.boatblue.org, set up for this issue. Once there, simply type in your zip code and click send.

Help Stop Federal Permitting of Incidental
Non-point Pollution from Boats

Ask Your Senators to Co-sponsor S. 2766

For further information, contact the MRAA Washington office at 301-858-7149 or LarryInnis@aol.com