New Jersey names its first clean marina
FORKED RIVER, N.J. – N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell has designed Silver Cloud Harbor Marina as the first New Jersey Clean Marina, the state department reported in a recent statement.
The implementation of the NJ Clean Marina Program is part of the Governor’s Coast 2005 initiative to protect water quality and habitat.
“Protecting New Jersey’s water is a shared responsibility,” said Acting Governor Richard J. Codey. “The Silver Cloud Harbor Marina is New Jersey’s first Clean Marina and serves as an example of what marina operators, local governments and the state can accomplish by working together to protect our valuable water resources.”
Currently 20 marinas have signed the pledge to participate in the Clean Marina Program – a voluntary program that encourages marinas to adopt environmentally sound measures to reduce and eliminate pollution that can be discharged into waterways during regular operations.
“I commend the Giombetti family for their commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell. “The pollution control practices they implement at their marina are vital to protecting and maintaining our state’s healthy water quality which supports aquatic wildlife, as well as our tourism and boating industries.”
The Silver Cloud Harbor Marina is owned and operated by Dave and Dawn Giombetti of Forked River in Ocean County. The facility is a full-service marina with 175 slips, a fuel dock, marine technicians, pump-out stations and winter storage. The family-owned marina first participated in a pilot project that later developed into the New Jersey Clean Marina Program. The Giombettis have improved management and operational practices as part of their commitment to the Clean Marina Program. They successfully implemented safety measures including training employees at docks to ensure proper fueling; properly recycling and storing waste products such as oil and anti-freeze to prevent hazardous dumping; and managing stormwater to reduce pollution, according to the DEP.
The Clean Marina Program is sponsored by the DEP with a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium and DEP coordinate to provide outreach and technical guidance to marinas including free individual assistance and educational workshops on topics from fuel spill management to public access.
New Jersey Clean Marinas are recognized with State certification, authorized use of the Clean Marina logo for marketing and advertising materials, and an official burgee to fly at their facility.
Cooperative partners in the program include: Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program, Delaware National Estuary Program, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, Manasquan Watershed Management Group, NJ Marine Trades Association, NJ Department of Transportation, Rutgers University and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County and US Coast Guard Auxiliary.
For additional information on New Jersey’s Clean Marina Program visit www.njcleanmarina.org.
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