Surfrider Foundation - Sebastian Inlet Chapter

Overall Goal:
Regulates Releases from Gambling Vessels

• Register with the FDEP
• Get ports to establish procedures for pump out stations
• Get ports to establish pump out fees and collect them
• Require reporting of dumping within 3 miles to FDEP
• Established penalties for violations - up to $50,000 per violation plus civil penalty
• Requires FDEP to adopt rules for enforcement
• Asks FDEP to petition the Feds to prohibit dumping within 12 miles

More detailed explanation of the bill:
3a ** Requires gambling vessels operating in coastal waters to register with the
Department of Environmental Protection and gives requirements for vessel registration:
- Vessel Owner's Business name and address
- A designated agent who lives in the state, domestic corporation, or foreign corporation autorized to do business in this state
- Name of vessel, port of registry, passenger and crew capacity
- Description of waste treatment systems - type, design, operation, location of all discharge pipes and valves, number and capacity of all storage areas and holding tanks

4a ** Requires ports to establish procedures for the release of certain substances by gambling vessels at port facilities
- Procedures process to verify the contents released of blackwater, greywater, hazardous waste, biomedical waste, and oily bilge water

4b ** Requires ports to establish and collect certain fees
- The fee is not to exceed the costs associated with disposal of the required releases

5 ** Requires the reporting of the release of certain substances into coastal waters (<3 miles) by gambling vessels to FDEP
- Date, time, location, volume, source, remedial actions taken

6a ** Provides civil penalties for violations
- up to $50,000 for each violation plus civil penalty

6c ** Provides exemptions
- considers amount released and toxicity, extent of harm, ability to pay, voluntary cleanup efforts
7 - securing the safety of the vessel or life at sea

8a ** Requires the department (FDEP) to adopt rules

8b ** Directs the department to petition the Federal Government to prohibit certain
releases within the federal territorial waters off the shores of this state.

8c ** Provides an effective date for implentation - July 1, 2007