The State Department of Natural Resources gave its stamp of approval to five marinas Thursday, certifying them as “Maryland Clean Marinas.”
“These facilities have voluntarily gone above and beyond their regulatory requirements to take steps to prevent pollution,” said Donna Morrow, the director of the Department of Natural Resource?s Clean Marina Initiative.
In order to be certified by the state, the marinas must have plans to stop sewage, fuel and other pollutants from entering the water.
In a ceremony Thursday, the Maryland Marina in Baltimore, the Atlantic Marina Resort in Pasadena and the Spesutie Island Boating Association in the Aberdeen Proving Grounds were among those honored.
Maryland?s Clean Marina Initiative started in 1997. The initiative promotes the voluntary adoption of pollution prevention measures and seeks to certify at least 25 percent of Maryland?s marinas to satisfy Environmental Protection Agency goals. To date, 114 marinas have been certified, Morrow said.
Since marinas are homes to fuel, sewage and boat-building operations, they can pose a serious threat to the health of the Chesapeake Bay if not properly maintained. Marinas that follow the initiative?s guidelines must have plans in place for fuel spills and equipment to pump sewage.
“A lot of what we do is preventative maintenance,” Morrow said.
Although marinas “are not the biggest threat out there,” keeping them clean “goes along with the every bit helps theory,” she said.
So what drives businesses to voluntarily lay out money to clean up their act?
“Our philosophy is we have a fairly significant investment here and to not protect the Bay, which is our livelihood, would be suicide,” said Wayne Miskiewicz, one of the owners of the Maryland Marina, which has a capacity of about 900 boats.
Miskiewicz said Maryland Marina has a unique system of pressure-cleaning the bottom of its boats, which are cleaned upland in a
stoney area, which prevents any particles from entering the water.
“We have to be stewards of the cleanliness of the Bay, and we fully support the initiative,” he said.
At a glance
Clean Marina Partners:
» Jane?s Island State Park Boat Ramp, Crisfield
» Spesutie Island Boating Association, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Aberdeen
Clean Marinas:
» Maryland Marina, Baltimore
» Shelter Cove Yacht Basin, North East
» Atlantic Marina Resort, Pasadena
» Miles River Yacht Club, St. Michaels
» Dundee Creek Marina, Gunpowder Falls State Park, Kingsville
