No Discharge Zone

The idea of designating Puget Sound a No Discharge Zone has been floating around for a long time. So, now it’s been done. We’re officially the nation’s largest NDZ. And I gotta say, part of it stinks.

Folks, and particularly non-boaters, should know that dumping untreated sewage into the Sound was already illegal. This only changes the rules for vessels that are discharging treated sewage, stuff that’s already been cleaned by a marine sanitation device at least to a certain degree. The decision in itself is not too upsetting. I certainly hope that smarter minds than mine have figured out that cleaning up the already partially cleaned-up sewage is worth the added burden of enforcement and the administrative costs. It seems to me there’s probably more pollution sources to focus on. From a recreational boater standpoint, it affects a very few boaters who will have to swap out their USCG approved marine sanitation devices and replace with holding tanks. It’s going to affect commercial operators the most and some of them are going to have some serious plumbing projects coming up.

One thing I don’t see in the announcement was any effort to increase or improve pumpout facilities. Hey, you want boaters to use their holding tanks – make it easy for them to pump. And if the folks behind desks wonder “what’s the big deal, don’t we have plenty?” then rest assured they’ve never tried to cruise with a family of four and an 18 gallon holding tank on a sailboat that motors along at 6 knots. Commercial mobile pumpout services may benefit, but I’m not sensing any momentum for the state to make it easier for vessels to comply. In my experience, the decision to be responsible about pumpouts has a lot less to do with the law than with what the skipper and crew think is right, and what is practical. Convince them, then give them the tools. I’m a born-again pumper myself.

The part of this that irks me is the tacit implication that boaters are responsible for a large amount of pollution and that the state is fixing it. In listening to the local radio station gobble up and regurgitate the press release, I could see how a non-boating listener might get the impression that finally, those boaters won’t be able to pump their poop into the Sound. Our marine industry and we boaters have been at the forefront of environmentally responsible policies for a long time. I’d suggest when your friends bring up the topic at the next environmental fund raising dinner you attend, just chuckle and say, “It’s fine, but that move had a lot more to do with the Department of Ecology wanting to look good rather than do good.” Then shift the conversation to wondering if King County will invest in some new float switches for the waste treatment facility or risk another 235 million gallon spill off Seattle’s Discovery Park.

And regarding the 10s of thousands of comments they heard in support of the proposal, if you frame something like “Wouldn’t you like to protect shellfish, public health, and water quality” it’s easy to gather support. It’s also that easy to perpetuate a myth that boaters are wanton polluters.

 

Here’s the official press release from the Washington Department of Ecology:

 

OLYMPIA – It’s official, Puget Sound is now off limits to vessel sewage.

 

Washington State Department of Ecology Director Maia Bellon signed into law the Puget Sound No Discharge Zone on Monday, April 9.

“This is a historic day for the protection and restoration of Puget Sound,” said Director Bellon.

“Puget Sound is an icon of the Pacific Northwest. Its cultural and economic importance cannot be overstated. It’s the lifeblood of our renowned salmon, shellfish and orcas. Stopping the release of vessel sewage into our waters is absolutely the right thing to do,” Bellon added.

The new rule takes effect May 10 and bans the discharge of any type of sewage (blackwater), treated or untreated, within Puget Sound. There is no change to graywater requirements. Vessels looking to empty their loads will need to use a pump-out station or wait until they are out of the NDZ.

In establishing its first no discharge zone, Washington joins 26 other states and more than 90 no discharge zones in the U.S. 

The new rule also establishes geographic boundaries, how to close marine sanitation devices, effective dates for certain commercial vessels, and enforcement authority.

The NDZ boundaries include all marine waters of Washington State inward from the line between the New Dungeness and Discovery Island lighthouses, to the Canadian border, the fresh waters of Lake Washington, and all the water bodies that connect Lake Washington to Puget Sound.

“Making Puget Sound a no discharge zone for vessel sewage connects a missing piece in our strategy to clean up and restore the Sound,” said Heather Bartlett, the water quality program manager at Ecology. “Our shellfish beds, swimming beaches, and protected areas are especially vulnerable to bacteria and viruses in vessel sewage. This will prevent pollution from impacting these areas and protect human health and overall water quality. 

The Washington Department of Health expects to upgrade or open approximately 1,000 acres of commercial shellfish beds for harvesting near marinas with the establishment of the NDZ. 

The rule comes after a robust five-year public outreach and evaluation effort, including multiple public comment periods. To put the no discharge zone in place, the Department of Ecology had to submit a proposal to the Environmental Protection Agency. In 2014, the draft proposal alone drew more than 26,000 comments, of which more than 25,000 were in support and about 525 expressed opposition or concerns. In 2016, EPA received more than 40,000 comments in support of Washington’s proposal. EPA approved Ecology’s no discharge zone proposal in February 2017.

Ecology’s website contains information on pumpout options, including locations, for boaters and vessel operators. For more on the Puget Sound No Discharge Zone, visit Ecology’s website and for additional information, visit pumpoutwashington.org.