The Maryland Clean Marina Initiative is an evolving effort to assist marina, boatyards and yacht club operators to protect the resources that provide their livelihood: clean water and fresh air. The Initiative is distributing a comprehensive pollution prevention guidebook for marinas, recognizes “Clean Marinas” through an awards program, and conducts outreach activities to further promote environmentally responsible marina and boating practices.

Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook

The Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook provides an overview of actions that marine industry professionals can take to protect water and air quality. It is written for managers of full service marinas with boatyards. The recommendations contained within, however, are equally applicable to marinas with limited services, independent boatyards, and marine contractors. The Guidebook provides advice on the following topics.

• Siting considerations for new or expanding marinas
• Marina design and maintenance
• Stormwater management
• Vessel maintenance and repair
• Petroleum control
• Sewage handling
• Waste containment and disposal
• Marina management
• Laws and regulations

The chapters in the Guidebook are available for download in a .pdf format. This Portable Document Format is a cross-platform format that is viewable no matter how you are accessing our information. Once you have downloaded the free viewer from Adobe you will be able to view and print the document. If you are accessing this information with a modem the guidebook takes a few minutes to load to your computer, please be patient.

• Foreword and Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter Outlines
• Chapter 1
  Siting Considerations for New and Expanding Marinas
• Chapter 2
  Marina Design and Maintenance
• Chapter 3
  Stormwater Management
• Chapter 4
  Vessel Maintenance and Repair
• Chapter 5
  Petroleum Control
• Chapter 6
  Sewage Handling
• Chapter 7
  Waste Containment and Disposal
• Chapter 8
  Marina Management
• Chapter 9
  Laws and Regulations
• Bibliography
• Clean Boating Tip Sheet
  Vessel Cleaning and Maintenance
• Clean Boating Tip Sheet
  Selecting a Bottom Paint
• Clean Boating Tip Sheet
  Underwater Hull Cleaning
• Clean Boating Tip Sheet
  Pertoleum Control
• Clean Boating Tip Sheet
  Sewage Handling
• Clean Boating Tip Sheet
  Waste Containment and Disposal
• Appendix I Information Sources
• Appendix II Local Critical Area Commission Contacts
• Appendix III BayScapes Program
• Appendix IV Recycling Coordinators, Oil/Antifreeze Haulers, and Lightbulb Disposal Sources
• Appendix V Sample Contract Language
• Appendix VI Spill Response Companies
• Appendix VII Local Economic Development Contacts
• Spill Prevention, Control & Countermeasure Plans Information & Template (a legal requirement for some facilities)
• Appendix IX Emergency Response Plans
• Appendix X Waste Gasoline Haulers
• Appendix XI Training Guide
• Appendix XII Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan Template (Alegal requirement of a general permit for discharges from marinas)

Maryland Clean Marina Award

Those marinas, boatyards and yacht clubs that adopt a significant proportion of the best management practices suggested within the Guidebook will be recognized as Maryland Clean Marinas. They will receive a certificate acknowledging their environmentally responsible actions, authorization to use the Maryland Clean Marina logo on their letterhead and in their advertising, a burgee to fly from their property, and promotion by the Clean Marina Initiative in publications, on the world wide web, and at public events.

Who is involved?

The Department of Natural Resources developed the Maryland Clean Marina Initiative in partnership with Crockett Brothers Boat Yard, Haven Harbour Marina, Herrington Harbour Marinas, Mears Marina, Ocean City Fishing Center, Point Lookout Marina, Port Annapolis Marina, Sunset Harbor Marina, Turkey Point Marina, the Marine Trades Association of Maryland, Boat/U.S. Clean Water Trust, Watershed Associates, Maryland Sea Grant, United States Coast Guard, Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland Environmental Service, and Maryland Center for Environmental Training. Financial support for the Clean Marina Initiative is provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the State of Maryland.

What about the boaters?

The support and patronage of boaters is key to the success of the Maryland Clean Marina Initiative. In order to promote environmentally responsible boating, the Initiative has incorporated educational materials for boaters into the Guidebook. Other materials, such as clean boating tip cards and oil absorbent pads-are available from the program office at no charge. Call (410) 260-8770 or e-mail dmorrow@dnr.state.md.us if you would like to receive boater education materials.

Clean Marina Partners

The Clean Marina Partner designation was created to recognize boating facilities-other than marinas, boatyards, and yacht clubs-that minimize their own boating-related pollution and actively promote clean boating habits. Clean Marina Partners may be public boat ramps, private community piers, charter boat liveries, or even maritime museums.

To help small boating facilities promote environmentally responsible boating, the Clean marina Initiative can provide materials, such as clean boating rip sheets and posters, at no cost. To become recognized as a certified Clean marina Partner facility operators follow the same steps as have been established for marina operators:

• Obtain program materials
• Sign a clean marina Pledge
• Conduct a self-assessment
• Call upon a mentor for assistance if needed
• Schedule a confirmation visit
• Enjoy the rewards
• Maintain Clean Marina Partner status