F. Public Education
Management Measure
Public education/outreach/training programs
should be instituted for boaters, as well as marina owners and
operators, to prevent improper disposal of polluting material.
This management measure is intended to be applied by
States to all environmental control authorities in areas where marinas
are located. Under the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments of
1990, States are subject to a number of requirements as they develop
coastal nonpoint source programs in conformity with this measure and
will have some flexibility in doing so. The application of management
measures by States is described more fully in Coastal Nonpoint
Pollution Control Program: Program Development and Approval Guidance,
published jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the
U.S. Department of Commerce.
The best method of preventing pollution from marinas
and boating activities is to educate the public about the causes and
effects of pollution and methods to prevent it. One of the primary
reasons for the success of existing programs is the widespread support
for these efforts. Measuring the efficiency of the separate practices
of public education and outreach programs can be extremely difficult.
Programs need to be examined in terms of long-term impacts.
Creating a public education program should involve
user groups and the community in all phases of program development and
implementation. The program should be suited to a specific area and
should use creative promotional material to spread its message.
General information on how to educate and involve the public can be
found in Managing Nonpoint Pollution: An Action Plan Handbook for
Puget Sound Watersheds (PSWQA, 1989) and Dealing with Annex V -
Reference Guide for Ports (NOAA, 1988).
Measure selection is based on low cost, proven effectiveness, availability, and widespread
use by many States (Appendix 5A).
As discussed more fully at the beginning of this
chapter, the following practices
are described for illustrative purposes only. State programs need not
require implementation of these practices. However, as a practical
matter, EPA anticipates that the management measure set forth above
generally will be implemented by applying one or more management
practices appropriate to the source, location, and climate. The
practices set forth below have been found by EPA to be representative
of the types of practices that can be applied successfully to achieve
the management measure described above.
a. Signage
Interpretive and instructional signs placed at
marinas and boat-launching sites are a key method of disseminating
information to the boating public. The Chesapeake Bay Commission
recommended that Bay States develop and implement programs to educate
the boating public to stimulate increased use of pumpout facilities (CBC,
1989). The commission found that "boater education on this issue can
be substantially expanded at modest expense."
Appropriate signage to direct boaters to the nearest
pumpout facility to alert boaters to its presence would very likely
stimulate increased used of pumpout facilities. Signs can be provided
to marinas and posted in areas where recreational boats are
concentrated. Ten-inch-square aluminum signs are available
commercially for approximately $12 each (Lab Safety, 1991).
b. Recycling/Trash Reduction Programs
A New Jersey marina issued reusable tote bags with
the marina's name printed on the side. The bags were used repeatedly
to transport groceries and to store recyclable materials for proper
disposal (Bleier, 1991). Newport, Oregon, instituted a recycling
program that was not immediately successful but has since achieved
increased boater compliance (Bleier, 1991). The Louisiana and New
Hampshire Sea Grant Programs both instituted successful public
education programs designed to reduce the amount of marine debris
discarded into surface waters (Doyle and Barnaby, 1990). The $17,000
cost of the New Hampshire demonstration program included project
organization, distribution of a season's supply of trash bags,
advertising material, and project monitoring. More than 90 percent of
the 91 participating boats indicated that they had made a commitment
to reducing marine pollution.
c. Pamphlets or Flyers, Newsletters, Inserts in
Billings
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
designed a multABAceted public education program and is working with
local governments and boating groups to implement the program and
evaluate its effectiveness. The program encourages the use of MSDs and
pumpout facilities, discourages impacts to shellfish areas, and
provides information to boaters and marina operators about
environmentally sound operation and maintenance activities. The
Commission has prepared written materials, given talks to boating
groups, participated in events such as boat shows, and developed signs
for placement at marinas and boat launches. Printed material includes
a map of pumpout facilities, a booklet on boat pollution, a pamphlet
on plastic debris, and articles on the effects of boating activities.
Written material can be made available at marinas, supply stores, or
other places frequently visited by boaters. Approximate costs of some
educational and promotional materials used in a Newport, Oregon,
program are presented in
Table 5-5 (NOAA, 1988). Written
material describing the importance of boater cooperation in solving
the problems associated with marine discharges could be included with
annual boat registration forms, and cooperative programs involving
State environmental agencies and boaters' organizations could be
established.
d. Meetings/Presentations
Presentations at local marinas or other locations
are a good way to discuss issues with boaters and marina owners and
operators. The New Moon Project in Puget Sound is a public education
program that is attempting to increase use of portable sewage pumpouts.
This effort has included workshops and seminars for boaters, marina
operators, and harbor masters. The presentations have produced
interest from marina operators who want to participate and boaters who
want additional material (NYBA, 1990). Presentations can also present
the positive aspects of marinas and successful case studies of
pollution prevention and control.
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