A State-Wide Education Approach to Clean Boating and Marinas

Western States Regional Pollution Prevention Network Conference

October 15, 2003Miriam Gordon

California Coastal Commission

How the Commission got Involved

• The California Coastal Actbalancing recreational use with protecting ecological resources

• section 6217 of Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization and Amendments - 1990implementation of a state-wide program to reduce “non-point source pollution”- education determined key focus for boating NPS pollution program

• the Commission started the California Clean Boating Network and adopted a model program developed by Marin County

The Boating Clean and Green Campaign

• 1997-2003 funded by: the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) and the California Coastal Commission

• 2002 funding provided by US Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and CIWMB

Campaign Components• ResearchResearch

• Direct multi-media outreach to boatersDirect multi-media outreach to boaters

• Technical assistance to marinas and local Technical assistance to marinas and local governmentgovernment

• CCC working with Marinas: carrot-based CCC working with Marinas: carrot-based approachapproach

RESEARCH 1. boater practices (oil and fuel) and awareness(1998)

• 76% of Calif. Boaters change their own oil• 45% use insecure practices• 40% spill fuel or see others spill fuel

2. messages that motivate behavior change (1998)• Environmental impacts• Illegality and potential fines

3. most successful format, style, and venues for delivering educational messages (1998)

• Combined with non-disposable products used in boating• Boat shows, marine supply shops, word-of-mouth

4. availability of oil and hazardous waste services for boaters at California Marinas (1999)

• 40-45% of marinas surveyed recycled used oil• 10% provided hazardous waste collection

Multi-media Outreach• boat shows• marine supply shops• word of mouth• boat launch ramp (used by 85% of

boaters)• mariners publications• Internet• marinas (used by 10% of boaters for

storage, but visited by unknown large %)• fuel docks

Exerting “Pier Pressure”

• Dockwalkers- adapted model developed by Save Our Shores

• CCC partners with US Coast Guard Auxiliary- boaters teaching boaters

• 30+ trainings, 374 volunteers trained

• 52% of boaters surveyed= much more likely to protect the environment while boating

• 26% somewhat more likely to• 22% felt that they already take the necessary precautions. • two lessons learned by the greatest number of respondents

included 1) environmentally sound methods for cleaning and maintaining their boats; and 2) oil absorbent pads can be used to reduce fuel spills.

Tracking Dockwalker Outreach

Direct outreach to boatersDirect outreach to boatersTwo 10 foot trade show displays;

47,000 boater kits distributed by staff at 40 boat shows, on the waterfront by Dockwalkers, and to new boaters at marine dealerships.

Marine Supply Shops

Direct Direct Outreach (cont’d) (cont’d)Print materials: Print materials: • Tide books Tide books • binder cards binder cards • NOAA nautical charts NOAA nautical charts • boat maintenance boat maintenance

checklistchecklist• oil brochure oil brochure • Stickers Stickers

Spanish/English Spanish/English • floating key chainsfloating key chains

Signage (aluminum, anti-graffiti)

150 fuel dock signs

450 boat ramp signs (Spanish and English)

• No. and So. Cal. Clean boating conferences• Presentations at marine association

meetings• Continual information about funding • California Clean Boating Network• Earth’s 911 and CCBN websites • Changing Tides clean boating/marinas

newsletter• California Clean Marina Toolkit• One-on-one with used oil programs and

marinas

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

1997 Survey Shows Boaters’ Enthusiasm for Oil-related Services

Bilge Mobile Absorbents Oil Oil

Pump Bilge for the ChangeChange

Pump bilge PumpService

Overall 66% 56% 82% 53% 62%

Sail boat 61% 50% 77% 39% 55%

Outboard 58% 53% 75% 51% 62%

Inboard 70% 59% 87% 60% 62%

Jet propelled 85% 69% 100% 65% 73%

Personal Craft 71% 52% 81% 52% 71%

Services at “Clean Marinas”• sewage pump-out facilities and dump stations• used oil and filter collection and recycling• absorbent pad distribution and collection• oily bilge pump-out facility• oil change facility or DIY equipment• oil spill response plan and materials• fuel spill prevention at fuel dock• hazardous waste segregation, collection and

disposal (antifreeze, oil, batteries, solvents, paints, cleaning products)

• solid waste recycling • fishing line recycling

Example #1 Moss Landing HarborExample #1 Moss Landing Harbor

Example #2 - Peter’s Landing

• used oil collection

• absorbent pad distribution and collection

• sewage pump-out

• segregation of hazardous wastes for disposal

• Dockwalkers education

Example #3 - Hyde Street Marina

• Multiple bilge pump-out stations• used oil collection • crankcase oil change facility• absorbent pad distribution and disposal• sewage pump• segregation of hazardous wastes• solid waste recycling (paper, aluminum,

glass)• fishing line recycling• Dockwalkers education

Example #4 - Berkeley Marina

• used oil and filter recycling

• sewage pump-out

• gray-water management plan

• live-aboard education and inspection

• hazardous waste segregation and proper disposal

Marina Oil-Facilities Report

• 175 marinas with oil facilities surveyed, 111 responded

• oil collection, bilge pump-out, absorbent pad distribution and collection

• Problems: many respondents unwilling to review records, not tracking, staff responding are uninformed, marinas are tired of answering surveys

• 53% surveyed collect used oil (higher than previous survey due to pre-selection of sample for oil services)

How Much Oil Do Marinas Collect?

Marinas and the Amount of Used Oil Collected

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

10 10-50 50-100

Average Gallons of Used Oil Collected per month

Marinas (%

)

5 %

13 %

27%

Frequency of Contamination of Oil Collection Facilities

Used Oil Collection Facilities, Boater Access And Oil Contamination

30.6

8.6 6.9

20.4

22.4

12.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Direct Access No Direct access With Assistance

Cases

Perc

ent (%

)

No OilContamination

Oil Contamination

51%

31%

19%

40% of total

72% of

total 63.7% of total

Access versus Collection

31%

19%

40% of total

72% of

total 63.7% of total

Used Oil Collection Facility Access and Ammount of Oil Collected

020406080

100120

Direct Access No Direct access With Assistance

Access

Aver

age o

f Oil

Colle

cted

(gall

ons)

per

mon

th

102 gals.

51%

30 marinas

101 gals.

31%

18 marinas 47 gals.

19%

11 marina

Needs Assessment for Services-GIS-based CA

marinas map

• Map marina locations state-wide• Overlay marina environmental

services• Overlay non-marina waste

collection services (oil and hazardous waste)

• Overlay boating population and marina usage data

CA Clean Marinas Toolkit

1. CA Clean Marina Guidebook – Voluntary Measures and Implementation Options for Clean Marinas- including case studies

2. Educating Your Customers – A Resource Manual

3. Applicable Laws and Regulations

4. Environmental Impacts of Marinas and Boating- Q & A

Clean Marina Recognition• CCC + DBW joint effort to develop

• Local grant-funded efforts emerged first

• Need for uniform criteria state-wide

• Industry “buy-in” a must

• Working with Advisory Committee

• California issue= diversity of marinas

Provide Easy and Low-Cost Services, Educate, and You will Succeed!

Education isn’t always enough

Some things won’t change without a legislative mandate:

Boat design and manufacturing changes needed-

1. On board bilge filtration2. Fuel spill prevention devices

Interested? Contact me:mgordon@coastal.ca.gov(415) 904-5214