ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety & Clean Water doubled its funding this year, awarding nearly $40,000 in Clean Water Grants to 19 local nonprofit organizations around the country, BoatU.S. said in a release today.
The grants support grassroots efforts to educate boaters on reducing their environmental impact on the water. A special emphasis was made this year to support projects designed to educate boaters on cleaner fueling practices; nine of the 19 groups incorporated this topic in their projects.
“We believe that those groups closest to our waterways – yacht clubs, local conservation groups, and volunteer waterway safety organizations – often offer the most innovative ideas to protect our waterways,” Margaret Podlich, environmental director for the BoatU.S. Foundation, said. “We rely on these boaters to help us spread credible, locally-relevant environmental messages.”
Some of the projects included handing out fuel-spill prevention kits containing oil-absorbent pads, creating booklets to educate boaters about clean fueling practices and laws, and erecting a kiosk and recycling center that will educate boaters about environmental issues.
“We’re especially happy to see so many projects that stress better habits at the fuel dock,” Podlich said.
BoatU.S. Foundation Clean Water Grant projects will take place in 15 states.
Grant recipients
Marine Merchants Association of Page, Ariz., to purchase approximately 1,000 fueling bibs to distribute to marinas, yacht clubs, and fuel docks on Lake Powell.
Fairwind Yacht Club of Marina Del Ray, Calif., to provide quarterly training of Marina del Rey Fuel Dock staff on clean fueling habits and to distribute clean fueling supplies and literature to area boaters.
Florida Sea Grant of Miami, to purchase printed bags and oil-absorbent pads for 1,000 fuel spill prevention kits for boaters.
St. Mary’s River Management Committee of Folkston, Ga., to produce 20 anti-pollution signs to post on the river and three monofilament fishing line recycling bins.
Lake Pend Orielle Idaho Club, of Sand Point, Idaho, to print approximately 3,500 color maps of the lake that will share information on boating safety and reducing pollution from boats.
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary District 8- Division 4- Flotilla 4 of Lafayette, La., to construct 20 monofilament line collection sites and advertise the stations through brochures.
Salem Sound Coastwatch of Salem, Mass., to print 1,500 double-sided, laminated “Quick Reference Guide to Clean Boating” cards.
Massachusetts Marine Trades Educational Trust of Milton, Mass., to develop and print approximately 2,500 booklets to educate boaters about clean fueling practices and laws.
Downtown Sailing Center, Inc. of Baltimore, to print clean fueling materials to distribute to area marinas and boat clubs, including clean fueling cards to attach to fuel pump handles.
Higgins Lake Advisory Committee of Roscommon, Mich., to target 1,500 area boaters with clean boating packets that include educational materials and tools. Four area marinas will receive clean fueling supplies to use at their fuel docks.
Les Cheneaux Watershed Project of Cedarville, Mich., to design and print about 3,000 color maps of the area that promote positive habits boaters can adopt to protect the environment.
Coastal Water Watch & Southport Sail and Power Squadron of Southport, N.C., to share environmental messages with boaters by designing and installing large scale educational/interactive signs at four area marinas and two boat ramps.
Passaic River Coalition of Basking Ridge, N.J., to develop and distribute approximately 5,000 brochures for boaters on the prevention of fuel spills.
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary District 5N-Division 7-Flotilla 12 of Long Beach Township, N.J., to purchase about 500 oil socks to distribute to boaters who are found to have oil in their bilges during vessel safety checks.
Lake Champlain Chapter of Trout Unlimited of Ontario, N.Y., to post 50 signs and 25 literature boxes to educate boaters about preventing the spread of aquatic nuisance species.
Ontario Friends of the Parks of Morrisonville, N.Y., to erect a kiosk and recycling center that will educate boaters about environmental issues. Additionally, an anti-littering decal will be developed and handed out with launch passes at local parks.
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary District 8WB-Division 16-Flotilla 03 of Grove, Okla., to post 18 signs on Grand Lake to help boaters learn how to prevent the Westward spread of zebra mussels.
Philpott Fairy Stone Safety Council of Bassett, Va., to purchase and imprint 2,000 litter bags that can be exchanged (full of collected trash) at the state park visitor’s center for a food voucher at a local fast food restaurant.
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary District 13-Division 03-Flotilla 05 of Tacoma, Wash., to develop a video and duplicate and distribute 500 VHS tapes on how to properly refuel a boat and handle a fuel spill.
Established in 1999, the BoatU.S. Foundation Clean Water Grant Program and other BoatU.S. Foundation projects are funded primarily by donations from members of Boat Owners Association of The United States. For more information on how to make a tax-deductible donation, or to find out how to apply for 2005 Clean Water Grants, visit http://www.BoatUS.com/foundation.
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