Small commercial boats will continue to be exempt from Clean Water Act rules

Small commercial boats will likely get another 3 year reprieve from having to meet federal environmental regulations for water discharges.

Small commercial vessels around the country were facing new federal permit requirements for discharges that occur during normal operations.

The Small vessel General Permit was expected to take effect for commercial vessels less than 79 feet on December the 19^th.

Commercial Boats larger than 79 feet have been required to have the permit since 2008.

This week, however, Congress passed the Coast Guard Authorization Act, part of which allows small commercial vessels to continue to operate outside of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Act rules regulating incidental water discharges.

Under the measure, water released during normal vessel operation including washing the deck or using onboard bathing facilities will be allowed for an additional three years, after the current exemption expires this month.

Without the exemption it’s estimated that nearly 140 thousand vessels around the country would have had to significantly change their operations to ensure compliance with the new regulations.

Senator Bill Nelson said “This is a common sense exemption for our commercial operations like charter boat captains and commercial fisherman.

Nelson said he supports a permanent exemption for small commercial fishing boats.

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