Nonpoint Source: Marinas and Boating

On this Page:

• Overview
• Additional Information
• Guidance and Publications

Overview

Marinas and recreational boating are very popular uses of coastal waters. The growth of recreational boating, along with the growth of coastal development in general, has led to an increased awareness of the need to protect the environmental quality of our waterways. Because marinas are located right at the water's edge, there is a strong potential for marina waters to become contaminated with pollutants generated from the various activities that occur at marinas—such as boat cleaning, fueling operations and marine head discharge—or from the entry of stormwater runoff from parking lots and hull maintenance and repair areas into marina basins.

Additional information

• EPA Office of Mobile Sources - Marine Engine Emissions and Control  This website provides general and technical information on EPA's marine diesel engine rulemakings. 
• Clean Marinas Program This website offered by the Boat U.S. Foundation provides links to some state Clean Marinas Programs.

Guidance and publications

• Management Measures for Sources of Nonpoint Pollution in Coastal Waters.  Chapter 5 addresses  Management Measures for Marinas and Recreational Boating
• National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Marinas and Recreational Boating is a technical guidance and reference document for use by state, local and tribal managers in the implementation of nonpoint source pollution management programs. It contains information on the best available, economically achievable, means of reducing pollution of surface water runoff from marinas and recreational boating.

• Shipshape Shores and Waters A Handbook for Marina Operators and Recreational Boaters (pdf) (2.43 MB, January 2003, EPA-841-B-03-001)
  This is a companion piece to the National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Marinas and Recreational Boating. It is a quick reference handbook for actions that marina operators and recreational boaters can take to help prevent polluting waters.  (2.43 MB, January 2003, EPA-841-B-03-001)