Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40APRIL 2017 • FOGHORN 5 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR John Groundwater Industry Day events nationwide. We have in- creasingly embraced these events as offering far-reaching benefits for operators and the Coast Guard alike. In 2017, PVA staff will attend approxi- mately 20 Coast Guard Industry Days from coast-to coast. In most cases, PVA has an op- portunity to make presentations that highlight issues of importance to the passenger industry. Following are a few of the many issues that we will present this year: Sharing the Waterways—the growing numbers of human- powered, recreational and rental craft that are using the waterways with little or knowledge of the rules-of-the-road. PVA is urging the Coast Guard to promote greater boater education and even certification. Illegal Charters—an increasing problem in most U.S. ports, is the appearance of numerous Internet sites and apps that promote charters aboard vessels that are not certificated and that, in many cases, are illegally carrying passengers-for-hire. PVAis drawing attention to this issue and is encouraging the Coast Guard to step-up enforcement. Marine Casualty Reporting—while PVA was successful in working with the Coast Guard to make improvements to the Marine Casualty Reporting program, it is also vigorous- ly advocating for an increase in the dollar thresholds which trigger a reporting requirement. EPA Vessel General Permit—PVA, along with other industry groups, is lobbying for passage of the Commercial Vessel Incidental Discharges Act (CVIDA), sponsored by Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, which would eliminate the small vessel requirement for a Vessel General Permit. The bill would also set a national ballast water treatment standard and would preempt states from adding require- ments and enforcing different ballast water standards. While these meetings give PVA valuable opportunities to communicate directly with Coast Guard in the field, they also offer an effective way to interact with PVA members and to get their feedback on issues of importance to their operations. PVA Congressional Fly-In Finally, if you haven’t made plans to attend the PVA Congressional Fly-In on April 25 in Washington D.C., I encourage you to do so. This is a great way for you to support PVA’s advocacy efforts and to witness first-hand our country’s representative system in action. In the meantime, please let me know whenever we can be of assistance to you. Sincerely, John R. Groundwater Executive Director n Spreading the Word Representing the interests of PVA members occurs in many different ways throughout each year. PVAstaff and members work closely with federal state and local governments on a variety of issues affecting member opera- tions. Members of Congress and their staff also factor into this equation to ensure that our leg- islators fully understand the challenges facing passenger vessel operators and the contribu- tions that our industry makes to the economic health of our Nation. Often, PVA takes part in government-sanctioned meetings and events focusing on important topics such as crowded waterways, mariner licensing, illegal charters, vessel and facility security, tourism promotion and vessel safety. Such activity is important because it allows us to better understand current and emerging trends but it also gives PVA an opportunity to make our positions known. 2017 Inland Waterways Conference Most recently, PVA Vice President Gus Gaspardo rep- resented PVA at the 2017 Inland Waterways Conference in Cincinnati, OH. This important annual conference brings together a broad array of individuals and organizations that have a stake in the maintenance and improvement of our Nation’s Inland River Transportation System. This meeting included key leaders from the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with industry participants such as tug, towboat and barge operators, passenger vessel operators, shipyards and ship repair facilities, specification societies and marine suppliers. It also promotes meaningful discussions and furthered policy setting, which promotes a healthy inland river transportation system. As PVA’s representative, Gus offered a welcome to conference attendees. In doing so, he highlighted PVA’s strong safety record and stressed the need to urge federal lawmakers to provide adequate funding for the Coast Guard inspection and safety mission. He also asked attendees to join with PVA in calling for an increase in the dollar thresholds for marine casualty reporting and pointed to the development of Flagship, PVA’s voluntary, members- only safety management system as a demonstration of the association’s long-term commitment to safety. Discussing the regulation of industry, Gus said, “For quite a few years, PVA has argued that over-regulation is hampering the productivity of American small business. The Small Business Administration has estimated that uncoordinated regulation costs small businesses more than $10,500 per employee annually. As they say, ‘timing is everything’ and it is clear that we have an opportunity to work with the new Administration to reduce the regulatory impacts on small business.” Coast Guard Industry Days Over the years, PVA staff and members have attended and participated in a growing number of Coast Guard