4 JULY 2017 • FOGHORN PVA Program Tackles Environmental Issues Well, it’s the height of the summer season. The kids are out of school and the families will start moving around for vacation. Hopefully, and historically, many of them will spend time on our boats for a sightseeing tour or a trip to an island. This month’s editorial focus is on environ- mental issues. When Henry Hudson sailed up what was to be named the Hudson River the water was clean and there were abundant fish of all types. Over the next 300 years, humans managed to turn the river into what I have heard described as a black line through the middle of New York. Man brought progress and progress brought the industry that later lined the river- banks. Industry brought more people and pollution. Raw sewage, indus- trial byproducts, chemicals and petroleum, among other things, were all disposed of in the river. After all it was pragmatic, easy, and in most cases legal. In the 1960’s and early ‘70s, things began to turn around. Citizen organizations formed to promote cleaner water and air. New federal and state laws were enacted along with the agencies established to enforce them, banning the practices that led to the river’s decline. Slowly, the river began a comeback. Today, the river is enjoyed by boaters, swimmers, and fishermen. Some com- munities draw water from the river to use as a source of municipal drinking water. Unfortunately, the damage was already done. You can take some of it back, but not all of it. There are about three pages of health advisories in the New York fishing regula- tions regarding eating fish, not just from the river, but in the entire state. Of course, it’s not just New York. I would venture to guess that most states have similar advisories. Pollution is not a state problem. It is a national problem and the last half of the 20th century pointed out that it is a worldwide crisis. When I was growing up, we used to take our groceries home in paper bags. We used to put used paper products in these bags (there was a lot less of it) and once a day take them to the burn barrel in back of the house. Milk and soda came in glass bottles that went back to the distribu- tor when empty. The plastic revolution introduced the single-use, dis- posable lifestyle that gave us ubiquitous plastic bags, soda bottles and Styrofoam containers. While handy to use, drawbacks were soon apparent. Even I, not being a militant conservationist, wondered about the wisdom of placing groceries in a plastic bag. Plastic is lightweight and conve- nient, but it just doesn’t go away. Fortunately, people are changing the way they think and live. Although they haven’t even thought of dumping sewage and petroleum in the waterways for years, we are now attempting to change our “throw away” society into a recycling society. Today, more and more people are taking reusable grocery bags to the market. There are recycling centers to return plastic bottles, and municipalities have now incorporated recycling into their regular residential waste pick-up. PVA developed the GREEN Waters Program to assist members in becoming more environmentally friendly in all phases of their op- erations. This “best green business practices” was designed for passenger vessel operators who want to ensure their working environment is safe, clean and “green” for its workforce, customers, community, and the marine life in and around our waterways. Guidance for this voluntary program can be found in the Members Resource at www.passenger vessel.com. Documents can be downloaded from the PVA“Member’s Only” section on the website. Or, contact PVA’s Karen Rainbolt at krainbolt@passengervessel.com or 571-388-7752. On another note, the U.S. Coast Guard issued on May 12, a safety alert concerning our shared waterways. The alert was developed by the Coast Guard’s Office of Boating Safety. It encourages all mariners to, among other things, keep a look out and know the Rules of the Road. For the past couple of years we have voiced to the Coast Guard our concerns dealing with increasingly crowded waterways and many recreational boaters that do not know or understand their obligations. This alert deals with communications, boater education, equipment, and best practices. Very importantly, it encourages those who operate marinas and rental companies to develop safety briefings, require safety equipment and marine radios. Our message and the National Transportation Safety Board white paper are being acted on. Have a safe summer. Have a safe summer. Jeffery M. Whitaker President n LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Jeff Whitaker PVA developed the GREEN Waters Program to assist members in becoming more environmentally friendly in all phases of their operations.