[Phoenix] Fwd: BoatUS Alert: Action Needed TODAY for Boating!

Wed Sep 26 23:05:59 EDT 2007

All,

This is a HUGE issue if you don't want to be paying a fee for an EPA  
boat discharge permit!

If you live in Arizona, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE call Senator McCain's  
office in Washington at 202-224-2235 or his office here in Phoenix at  
602-952-2410, Tempe at 480-897-6289 or Tucson at 520-670-6637. The  
details are below in the email from BoatUS Foundation. CALL his  
office early, before the vote and send this email to as many boaters  
as you can!

If you live in another state, call YOUR senator and advocate for them  
to vote "YES" for the Nelson Amendment to Senate Bill 1578 on Balast  
Water "Yes" for the Nelson Amendment to Senate Bill 1578 on Ballast  
Water. If your senator's phone number isn't listed below, you can  
find  it here:  http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/ 
senators_cfm.cfm

Thanks for your EARLY phone calls,
Ed

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Margaret Podlich" <MPodlich at BOATUS.com>
> Date: September 26, 2007 2:25:05 PM MST
> To: "Margaret Podlich" <MPodlich at BOATUS.com>
> Subject: FW: BoatUS Alert: Action Needed TODAY for Boating!
>
> Your Senator McCain is an important voter on this Committee.   
> Please call his office tonight or tomorrow am!
>
>
>
> Margaret Podlich
>
> Vice President of Government Affairs
>
> BoatU.S.
>
> 147 Old Solomons Island Rd, Suite 508
>
> Annapolis, MD  21401
>
> voice:  703-461-2878 x8355
>
> fax:  410-224-3807
>
> email:  mpodlich at boatus.com
>
> From: BoatUS Government Affairs [mailto:GovtAffairs at BoatUS.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 4:45 PM
> To: Margaret Podlich
> Subject: BoatUS Alert: Action Needed TODAY for Boating!
>
>
>
> September 26, 2007
>
>
> Dear BoatUS Member,
>
> WE NEED YOU TO MAKE A PHONE CALL!
>
> Yesterday, BoatUS Government Affairs learned about a fast-moving  
> opportunity that could offer a potential solution to the EPA boat  
> discharge permit issue. We need you to pick up the phone and call  
> your Senator (who serves on the 23-member Senate Commerce  
> Committee), and urge them to vote "Yes" for Senator Nelson's  
> amendment to Senate Bill 1578.
>
> This vote takes place on Thursday September 27 at 2:30 pm (Eastern  
> time).
>
> It is critical that you call now.
>
> Background:
> As a result of a 2006 court decision, the EPA is required to  
> develop and implement a permit system before September 30, 2008 for  
> all normal operational discharges from every vessel in the U.S.  
> Unfortunately, while the real focus of the court case was the  
> ballast water and resulting aquatic nuisance species from ocean- 
> going ships, every vessel in the U.S. was included in the EPA mandate.
>
> BoatUS has been working with others in the boating industry to pass  
> federal legislation (H.R. 2550 and S. 2067) to exempt recreational  
> boats from this permit. (For more information see http:// 
> www.boatus.com/gov/dischargepermits.asp). Senator Nelson's  
> amendment offers another opportunity to address this problem.
>
> What is Senator Nelson's Amendment?
> Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) has proposed an amendment to Senate Bill  
> 1578 (The Ballast Water Management Act of 2007). The amendment  
> would require a study on the incidental discharges from vessels,  
> and an exemption from federal permitting for all normal operational  
> discharges from vessels (except aquatic nuisance species). Existing  
> restrictions on the overboard discharge of oil/fuel, garbage, and  
> sewage would remain.
>
> So what do I need to do?
> Right now, call your federal Senator (listed below). Tell the  
> person answering the phone you are calling in reference to Senate  
> Bill 1578.
>
> Ask the Senator (or their staff) to vote "Yes" for the Nelson  
> Amendment to Senate Bill 1578 on Ballast Water. Help them know the  
> urgent timing - the vote is at 2:30 Thursday (Eastern time) at the  
> Commerce Committee markup in room SR 253.)
>
>
> Help them understand how important boating is to you and your family.
>
>
> Help them know your concern if this amendment does not pass and you  
> are required to have a permit for each of your boats, in each state  
> where you want to boat.
>
>
> Quickly forward this email to your boating friends and club members.
>
>
>
>
> (Some Senate offices close at 6 pm, and some will have answering  
> machines. If your call doesn't go through on Wednesday night,  
> please try again in the morning.)
>
> Senate Commerce Committee Members:
>
> Vice Chairman Ted Stevens
>
> Alaska
>
> (202)224-3004
>
> Senator John McCain
>
> Arizona
>
> (202)224-2235
>
> Senator Mark Pryor
>
> Arkansas
>
> (202)224-2353
>
> Senator Barbara Boxer
>
> California
>
> (202)224-3553
>
> Senator Thomas Carper
>
> Delaware
>
> (202)224-2441
>
> Chairman Daniel Inouye
>
> Hawaii
>
> (202)224-3934
>
> Senator David Vitter
>
> Louisiana
>
> (202)224-4623
>
> Senator Olympia J. Snowe
>
> Maine
>
> (202)224-5344
>
> Senator John F. Kerry
>
> Massachusetts
>
> (202)224-2742
>
> Senator Amy Klobuchar
>
> Minnesota
>
> (202)224-3244
>
> Senator Trent Lott
>
> Mississippi
>
> (202)224-6253
>
> Senator Claire McCaskill
>
> Missouri
>
> (202)224-6154
>
> Senator John Ensign
>
> Nevada
>
> (202)224-6244
>
> Senator John Sununu
>
> New Hampshire
>
> (202)224-2841
>
> Senator Frank Lautenberg
>
> New Jersey
>
> (202)224-3224
>
> Senator Byron Dorgan
>
> North Dakota
>
> (202)224-2551
>
> Senator Gordon Smith
>
> Oregon
>
> (202)224-3753
>
> Senator Jim De Mint
>
> South Carolina
>
> (202)224-6121
>
> Senator John Thune
>
> South Dakota
>
> (202)224-2321
>
> Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson
>
> Texas
>
> (202)224-5922
>
> Senator Maria Cantwell
>
> Washington
>
> (202)224-3441
>
> Senator John D. Rockefeller
>
> West Virginia
>
> (202)224-6472
>
>
> Thanks for your continued support in helping boating!
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Margaret Podlich
>
> BoatUS Government Affairs
> GovtAffairs at BoatUS.com
> 703-461-2864 or 703-461-2878 x8363
>
>
>
> *****
>
> PLEASE NOTE: This email was sent to MPODLICH at BOATUS.COM. If you  
> prefer not to receive information such as this in the future, click  
> here to unsubscribe.
>
> © 2007 Boat Owners Association of The United States
> 880 S. Pickett St.
> Alexandria, VA 22304
>
> All Rights Reserved
>
>
>
>

____________________________________________________________
"Attitude . . . the difference between ordeal and  adventure" (Lats &  
atts)

Ed Huntsman
ehuntsman at fastq.com

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