Erica Szlosek, External Affairs

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide the California Department of Boating and Waterways with $2.23 million under the Clean Vessel Act grant program this year. With this grant, California communities plan to install 13 sewage pumpout stations, purchase one sewage pumpout boat and one sewage pumpout barge and to install as many as 11 floating restrooms throughout the state in coastal and inland waters. In addition, this money will be used to fund aquatic safety education for children and adults throughout the state.

California is among the top boating states nationally with nearly 1,100 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline and thousands of miles of boatable inland waterways. In fact, California ranked number 2 in the nation for total number of vessels with more than 963,700 registered boats in the last survey taken in 2005.

Since the program’s inception in the early 1990s, the program has awarded nearly $150 million to states to install thousands of sewage pumpout stations.  In addition, many states now rely upon mobile sewage pumpout boats to make the sewage collection process more efficient and convenient.  Several states have begun installing floating restrooms and pumpout stations in high use areas of lakes and coastal locations.

Funding for the CVA program (Code of Federal Domestic Grants number 15.616) comes from the Sport Fishing and Boating Trust Fund, formerly known as the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, which is supported by excise taxes on certain fishing and boating equipment and boat fuels.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.