Worcester County’s Shad Landing Marina at Pocomoke River State Park will be taking steps to keep Maryland’s waterways free of harmful chemicals, excess nutrients and debris. Today as Manager Gary Adelhardt signed the Clean Marina Pledge as the first step toward receiving recognition through the Maryland Clean Marina Initiative.
The Department of Natural Resources’ Maryland Clean Marina Initiative promotes and celebrates voluntary adoption of measures to reduce pollution from recreational boating. Operators of marinas, boatyards, and yacht clubs qualify for Clean Marina certification by adopting measures to control pollution associated with vessel maintenance and repair, petroleum storage and transfer, sewage disposal, solid, liquid and hazardous wastes, stormwater runoff, and facilities management.
The Clean Marina Partner designation was created to recognize boating facilities other than marinas, boatyards, and yacht clubs that are implementing pollution prevention measures. To achieve full standing as a Clean Marina Partner, managers must minimize their own pollution and educate boaters about what they can do to protect our natural resources.
The goal of the Clean Marina Initiative is to certify 25 percent of Maryland’s 600 boating facilities as Clean Marinas or Clean Marina Partners by 2004. To date, 119 boating facilities have taken the first step and signed the Clean Marina Pledge. Of these, 31 have been certified as Clean Marinas and 4 have been certified as Clean Marina Partners. Boaters are encouraged to patronize Maryland Clean Marinas and Clean Marina Partners.
For more details about the Maryland Clean Marina Initiative or to order free pollution prevention materials for boaters, call DNR at (877) 620-8DNR, extension 8770, or visit www.dnr.state.md.us/boating.
Posted: 5-3-2001
