NJSGC’s Marine Recreation Extension Efforts Recognized with Regional Award

NJSGC’s Marine Recreation Extension Efforts Recognized with Regional AwardThe Marine Recreation Extension staff at the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) was recently honored with the Mid-Atlantic Sea Grant Marine Extension Network Award which recognizes outstanding achievements in marine outreach. NJSGC Marine Recreation Agent Michael Danko and Assistant Marine Recreation Agent Jessica Staats were commended for their outreach work to the boating and marina communities in New Jersey. >more

NJ Recognizes Its First Freshwater Clean Marina

Bridge Marina, Inc. on Lake Hopatcong has successfully earned recognition as New Jersey’s first freshwater certified Clean Marina.  The certification was awarded on Thursday, August 13, 2009 after a careful review made by officials from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Coastal Management Office and the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium/New Jersey Sea Grant (NJMSC/NJSG).  The certification demonstrates Bridge Marina’s commitment to protecting the environment by implementing practices that control pollution, enhance the surrounding environment, and encourage responsible boating practices.  This represents a number of milestones for the NJ Clean Marina Program. Beside Bridge’s being the first freshwater marina to be certified as a NJ Clean Marina, it was a recipient of one of the first Marina Industry Enhancement (MIE) grants and now represents the first documented instance where the MIE  Program played a pivotal role in assisting a marina with obtaining Clean Marina certification.

Permit by Rule:

In December 2008, the NJDEP adopted a new permit-by rule for the construction and/or installation of boat wash wastewater systems and associated infrastructure that prevent any discharge of boat wash wastewater to the waters of the State at marinas, boatyards and boat sales facilities. This new permit-by rule is available to any marina, boatyard or boast sales facility that installs a boat bottom wash wastewater system, including those necessary to comply with the equipment and vehicle washing provisions of the Basic Industrial Stormwater General Permit.

AMI Action Alert

A marina operator had their diesel fuel pumps inspected recently by a local U.S. IRS inspector and was fined over $27,000 for not having the proper labels (decals) posted on their diesel fuel pumps. The fine was $10 for each gallon of diesel fuel in the storage tank, however they could have been fined $10 for each gallon of diesel fuel SOLD over the entire period that the pumps were not properly labeled. That fine could have totaled well over $1,000,000.

Although they had a label on the pump indicating the fuel was dyed and FOR OFF HIGHWAY USE ONLY, which complies with EPA requirements, the IRS regulation 48.4082-2 also requires a label that indicates dyed diesel is TAX EXEMPT AND PENALTY FOR TAXABLE USE.

There are companies out there that sell these labels ready-made or you can have them made for each of your fuel pumps. Don't get caught without them and face hefty fines.

These are examples of what the EPA and IRS labels should state:

 TRA LOW SULFER NON HIGHWAY DIESEL FUEL
(15 PPM SULFUR MAXIMUM)
REQUIRED FOR USE IN ALL MODEL YEAR 2007 AND LATER
NON-HIGHWAY DIESEL VEHICLES AND ENGINES
RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN ALL NON-HIGHWAY DIESEL VEHICLES AND ENGINES
TAX EXEMPT. DYED. FOR OFF ROAD USE ONLY. PENALTY FOR TAXABLE USE.

LOW SULFUR NON-HIGHWAY DIESEL FUEL
(NOT TO EXCEED 500 PPM SULFUR)
WARNING
FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS USE IN MODEL YEAR 2007 AND LATER.
NON-HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND ENGINES
IT'S USE MAY DAMAGE THESE VEHICLES AND ENGINES.
TAX EXEMPT. DYED. FOR OFF ROAD USE ONLY. PENALTY FOR TAXABLE USE.