Rhode Island Nixes Boat Sewage

This month the EPA's New England administrator, John P. DeVillars, issued his eagerly-awaited ruling on Rhode Island's request that all marine waters within three miles of the state's coastline be declared a "no-discharge" area for boat sewage (Atlantic CoastWatch, June 1998).  The state became the nation's first to achieve a statewide ban compelling boaters to use pumpout stations to empty their holding tanks and not release partially treated sewage from onboard treatment systems.  Rhode Island politicians and environmental regulators applauded the EPA's decision, which leaders in the boating community had opposed.