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

You may download, view, and print either the entire publication as one document (the first item below) or access each chapter separately in a Portable Document Format (.pdf). 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.To request a free hard copy of the Guidebook please email donna.morrow@maryland.gov.

• Entire Clean Marina Guidebook


• Foreword and Table of Contents
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Siting Considerations for New and Expanding Marinas
• Chapter 3: Marina Design and Maintenance
• Chapter 4: Stormwater Management
• Chapter 5: Vessel Maintenance and Repair
• Chapter 6: Petroleum Control
• Chapter 7: Sewage Handling
• Chapter 8: Waste Containment and Disposal
• Chapter 9: Marina Management
• Chapter 10: 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: Petroleum 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
• Appendix VIII SPCC Plan Information and Template
• Appendix IX Emergency Response Plans
• Appendix X Waste Gasoline Haulers
• Appendix XI Training Guide
• Appendix XII Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan Template
  (A legal 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.