[OSMB-News] News Release -Marine Board*s Clean Marina Program Helps the Environment

[Ashley MASSEY]

For Immediate Release	Date: Friday, February 23, 2007

Marine Board's Clean Marina Program Helps the Environment
	
	People recreate on Oregon's waterways because of the beautiful surroundings, the serenity, and the numerous places to go.  But the water looses some of its appeal when the water is murky, oily and covered with floating debris.
	The Oregon State Marine Board wants to preserve our pristine waterways and protect them from pollutants.  In 2006 a new program was implemented -The Clean Marina Program, whose goal is to help marinas, boat yards, yacht clubs and floating home moorages reduce pollution and improve water quality for the future of our waterways.
	The "Clean Marina" designation is a testament to a marine facility's efforts to do their part to keep Oregon's waterways pollution-free.  The program provides information to marine facility managers on how to eliminate or reduce the input of pollution materials - such as oil, paint, cleaning chemicals, sewage, fish waste, and trash -into the environment.
	"The benefits for the environment will be long lasting," says Glenn Dolphin, Clean Marina Coordinator for the Marine Board.  "We provide marinas the educational tools that will help them protect local habitat and property along with improving water quality over time."
	The Marine Board administers the Clean Marina Program, and with the help from a stakeholders committee, developed rigorous pollution prevention standards.  Marine facilities who participate in the program voluntarily adopt measures for operating their business to eliminate or significantly reduce the input of polluting materials into the environment.
	"Marina managers that are interested in the program will get personal assistance to help them get through the process," says Dolphin. "By signing the one year pledge, managers have access to free technical assistance that ensures they comply with state and federal environmental laws."
	A certified "Clean Marina" receives a variety of tools to tout their compliance with the program standards: a Clean Marina flag (a testament to anyone on the water that the facility is a designated Clean Marina) and a dockside emergency spill kit (for immediate containment response to gas or oil spills).  The facility also receives a framed Clean Marina certificate, and official recognition in Marine Board publications and on its website.  A certified "Clean Marina" is also authorized to use the Clean Marina logo in its advertisements, publications and letterhead, along with promoting their business as being environmentally friendly.
	"We need to provide responsible leadership to improve the quality of the waterways and to provide an attractive, clean environment for the recreational boater," says Brad Howton, General Manager of Columbia Crossings in Portland.  "We believe that self-management and peer review is a more effective method of assuring a clean environment than complaint-driven enforcement."
	The Oregon Clean Marina Program, entering its second year, continues to grow.  In 2006, ten marine facilities became certified and 29 marinas have signed a pledge to do what it takes to become certified within one year.
	During the remaining winter months, free workshops are offered around the state promoting the program.  An extensive list of best management practices are outlined in a Clean Marina guidebook that helps marina managers identify new, cleaner methods of doing business that meet the program requirements.
	"We all enjoy a clean environment to boat in, so if everybody does their part to protect water quality, we can make sure people will want to come play on Oregon's waterways," Dolphin adds.
	For more information about the Clean Marina Program and scheduled workshops, contact Glenn Dolphin at 503-378-2625 or visit www.boatoregon.com/CleanMarina/Index.html.
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Ashley A. Massey
Public Affairs Specialist
Oregon State Marine Board
503-378-2623
503-378-8587 ext. 82623
ashley.massey at state.or.us