No Discharge Zones - Defending Penobnsot Bay Water Quality

Defending the water of Maine’s Territorial Sea from megayacht sprawl to the Cruise Ship  industry.

 Ron Huber, Penobscot BayWatch

Global warming and global warfare are directing more and more cruise ships and megayachts to the peaceful Gulf of Maine. Each of these vessels is a significant discharger of graywater and treated sewage, which affects the water habitats of our coastal fishes, clams, mussels, seals, seabirds, and all their kin. With  limited controls at present, such discharges taint the water these must breath and live in, and can close and reclose beaches and clam flats to our own uses.

Fig 1 Existing Maine NDAs. None east of Mt Desert. NH NDA lower left.

It is time for Maine to join New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and commit to designating our state's entire territorial sea a No Discharge Area.

 NDAs are places like Casco Bay and Boothbay Harbor, where, according to NOAA "adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably
available". In those coastal reaches it is forbidden to dump even “treated” boat sewage, sincethe (usually self service) pumper is easily available  

Thus they are called “pumpout stations”. Like those for motorhomes and vacation trailers, a hose is connected to the boat's septage holding tank and its contents are pumped ashore into a landside holding tank for later disposal at a sewage treatment plant.

It can only be designated if "adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably available". How is that done? By installing pumpout stations for recreational boaters. 

Pump out stations for boats are the same as those for RV's: a hose is connected and the pumpout is powered up, sending the boat's sewage into a landside holding tank for later disposal at the local sewage treatment plant. 

Existing Maine NDAs are far apart. There are None on the downeast Maine coast from the Canadian border southwest to Mt Desert Island, where one protects Bar Harbor and neighbor towns.

EXISTING MAINE NDAs

Unlike her sister New England states, Maine has designated only  4  portions of her coast as NDAs:

• All of Casco Bay
• All of Boothbay Harbor
• Penobscot Bay’s Camden, Rockport & Rockland adjoining harbors
• Mount Desert/SW Harbor/Tremont water complex. 

Boothbay Harbor, for example, was designated a No Discharge Area in 2009 after the US EPA found that  "The information submitted to EPA by the state of Maine certifies that there are six pumpout facilities located within this area... EPA has determined that adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably available for the area covered under this determination. " (full federal register notice)  

The important next step: Designate Penobscot Bay an NDA. 
At present there are NOT enough pumpout stations in Penobscot Bay to provide "adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels".

Fig 2. Penobsot Bay pumpout stations

 As the state's map (Fig 2) shows Vinalhaven, North Haven*, Islesboro and Deer Isle each lack pump out stations. These towns are visited by hundreds of pleasure boaters every year. But boaters stopping there have no place to dump their waste - except into Penobscot Bay!
 (* North Haven's Pulpit Harbor is visited by a pumpout boat from Camden)

What You Can Do:  

* Contact the govts  of Vinalhaven, North Haven, Islesboro and Deer Isle Urge them to get pumpouts. Let them know that giving skippers a place to discharge their septic wastes in an environmentally safe way, is good for their towns' waters and good for Penobscot Bay.   

Tell them that Maine DEP will cover 95% of the purchase cost and operating costs. Ask them to start the process  by requesting Maine DEP to send its expert, Pam Parker,  to give a presentation to their town.  Parker has been running this program successfully for many years and will be able to answer questions in detail. 

Letters to the editor will also help as will discussion of the need for pumpouts on these towns' facebook pages. Here are the FB Pages for Vinalhaven  North Haven, Islesboro  & Deer Isle. 

* Send Friends of Penobscot Bay your photos of pleasure craft tied up at those town's docks and mooring fields, and anchored in their anchorages, over this just-past summer of 2018.  In addition, aerial photos and drone imagery will be very helpful.  Knowing how many pleasure craft are visiting those  towns will help Maine DEP determine if the bay would benefit by having pumpout stations at their town docks.

The Big Picture.  Once these towns have gotten their pumpout operations  set up, there will be enough of these stations  for the state to request EPA to designate the entirety of Penobscot Bay, like Casco Bay and the full coastal waters of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, a No Discharge Area.  This will be a giant step toward designating the entire Maine territorial sea out to three miles a No Discharge Area.

Figure 3. Cruise ship routes, Penobscot Bay to Bar Harbor

This matters now more than ever.  Increases in visits by cruise ships & megayachts means that the amount of treated sewage being pumped into Penobscot Bay is likely increasing  sharply as well. While cruiselines may have policies against dumping in state waters, there are no penalties, so little incentive to refrain. Making it illegal to pump treated sewage into Penobscot Bay will give such policies teeth.

Let's urge Islesboro, North Haven, Vinalhaven and Deer Isle to take the plunge for a clean, productive and healthy Penobscot Bay and Gulf of Maine!

FMI Friends of Penobscot Bay 207-691-4634,  coastwatch@gmail.com

Rockland City Council:hears public comments on Cruise Ship Cap order AUDIO MP3s

Listen below as 34 members of the public and businesses spoke out at the August 13, 2018  Rockland City Council meeting. Topic:  Order 51 " Adopting Cruise Ship Shore Policy"  to establish a cruise ship  visitors cap, and the broader issue of the effect of reducing or  growing the cruise ship visits to Rockland and the bay   Listen below. The City Council then discussed and adopted  Order 51 as amended (Raising the daily passenger cap from 2500 to 3000. And removing the monthly cap of 9,000 passengers and replacing it with a cap of 6 ships. 

	-
	Intro 50 seconds
	Mike Grondin 2min 57sec
	George Stevens 5min 35sec
	Ken Pride 3min 42sec
	Lynne Archer 3min 10sec
	David Wiley 3min 20sec
	Sally Wiley 3min38sec
	Rose Wilson 3min 30sec
	Leslie Paul 1min 50sec
	Benjamin Dorr 1 min 10sec
	Jonathan Tardiff, Estate Jewelry Emporium 2min45 sec
	Connie Swaggert Seagull Cottage 2min 31sec
	Tom Peaco Chamber Commerce 5min 15sec
	David Troup 3min 40sec
	Pat O'Brien Vinegar, 5min 51sec
	"Sarah" 1min 35sec
	Ruth Starr 1min 58sec
	Eric Kiefer 6 min 30sec
	Gordon Macaleer, Bixby 1min50sec
	David Gelinas, Penobscot Bay and River pilots 4min 58sec
	Brian Reid 2min 30sec
	Katherine Whitney Bar Harbor resident 4min30sec
	Linda Hanson Sailboat resident  3 min 7 sec
	Beth Pauley 1 min 19sec
	Rhonda Nordstrom,Rheal Day Spa  Rockland , 4min
	Siera Dietz Grasshopper Shop 2min 1
	Josh Moore 3 min 27sec
	Resident state street 1min 43sec
	Gordon Paige RocklandMaineSt 3min
	Louise Mclellan Ruf 5min 32 sec
	Jeff Parker 1 min 42sec
	Chris Mayer 2min 47sec Callie Black Rockland Heart and Soul, 47sec
	Robert Reed, 2min
	Nick Palmer to end. 2min 35sec

Cruise ship industry presenter gets grilled at 7/27/18 Rockland public relations meeting

On July 27,  Bryan Salerno of CLIA Cruise Lines Industry Assn gave a talk on the environmental impacts of his industry.   While Salerno could barely find any issues, the audience relentlessly pursued a variety of issues, som0e that left Salerno stumped.

1. Introduction 2min 44sec

2  Brian Salerno presentation pt 1 8min 32sec

3 Brian Salerno pt 2. 3min

4 Brian Salerno pt 3 Sulfur 3min 3sec

5 Brian Salerno pt 4 Carbon 2min27sec

6  Brian Salerno pt 5. 2min

7 Brian Salerno pt 6. 3min 47sec

8 Brian Salerno pt 7. 2min 25sec

9 Brian Salerno pt 8 graywater 52sec

10 Brian Salerno discharges high seas 4min3sec

11 Brian Salerno safety  3min 7sec

12 Brian Salerno Community relations 3min

Q&A 1. 6min 16sec

Q&A 2 7min 33sec

Q&A 3 8min 3sec

Q&A 4 8min 125sec

Q&A 5. 6min 2sec

Q&A 6 4min 26sec

Audience after talk 2min 14sec

Owls Head waters getting federalized. Listen to 12/12/17 meeting on federal anchorage proposal.

Are Owls Head's outer waters getting Federalised?

Listen to a 14 minute discussion, (mp3)  at the 12/12/17 Rockland Harbor Mgmt Commission meeting, on a plan to designate a federal anchorage area off Owls Head, to facilitate cruise ships bringing passengers to Rockland Harbor

Rockland Harbor civic boundaries, Rockport, Rockland & Owls Head

 Penobscot Bay & River Pilots Association has asked the US Coast Guard to designate the waters of Owls Head's Broad Cove as  a Federal Anchorage Area,  specifically to facilitate projected increases in visits to Rockland Harbor  by large cruise ships. Read  July 6, 2017 submission to USCG by David Gelinas  president of Penobscot Bay & River Pilots

On December 12, 2017 the Rockland Harbor Management Commission had a  discussion of  the Federal Anchorage proposal. LISTEN TO THE 14 MINUTE DISCUSSION (mp3)

Gelinas, a veteran ships pilot, told the Coasties that rising cruise ship traffic  to Penobscot bay calls for  more methodical  management of anchorage use by oversized cruise ships  at the mouth of Rockland Harbor. much of which is within the town borders of Owls Head.

"Not only are the numbers of cruise ships on the increase," Gelinas wrote "but the average size of such vessels is on the increase as well. Having a larger, dedicated anchorage area will assist in keeping this traffic coming to our state, and will serve all mariners with a clear illustration of where such vessels will likely anchor when coming to Penobscot Bay."

Local newsie's cruise ship coverage covers up the critics

Reporter Steve Betts of the Rockland Maine Courier Gazette writes a half-baked cruise industry puff piece., that quotes not a single concerned citizen which spewing many  column inches of quotes from a  handful of  businesses that benefit from then.   Sure a few clumsy paraphrases, but all in all so badly written that you can't  help but think he plans to market it - or a barely modified version - to the cruise ship industry's magazine market.

Separating fact from fiction on the impact of cruise ships in Rockland

4

By Stephen Betts | Nov 02, 2017

Photo by: Stephen Betts

ROCKLAND — The large cruise ships that arrive in Rockland have been met with resistance by some citizens, who claim that these vessels pose environmental risks to the region, harm lobstermen by damaging traps, and bring little economic benefit to the city.

But a closer examination of these issues finds that there is little evidence to back up those arguments. Downtown business owners said this week that they see a spike in business when the large cruise ships arrive.

Ann Hoppe, owner and manager of Puffin's Nest, said the visits by the cruise ships provide a great benefit to her business. "There's a lot of foot traffic and lots of sales," Hoppe said. "The passengers love Rockland. They are tickled to be here."

Charla Prescott of the Rockland Cafe said the restaurant experiences a significant benefit when the cruise ships are in the harbor. "We get a ton of revenues," Prescott said.

Sierra Dietz, owner of the Grasshopper Shop, said the business sees about a 50 percent increase when the large cruise ships are in town. She said these visits help her keep staff employed longer in the fall and allow her to invest money back into the community.

Frank Albert of Frank's Family Hair Care said he gave five haircuts to passengers from each of the two past large cruise ships that arrived in Rockland. He said that if this occurs on future visits, he would earn up to $100 more per day.

Albert said he also sees firsthand the economic benefit from large cruise ship visits. "Unquestionably there is a benefit. I see the passengers walk by with packages and they tell me they eat at local restaurants," he said.

Lynn Archer of the Brass Compass and Archer's on the Pier restaurants said there is a huge positive impact to her businesses when the large cruise ships are in port. "They're a huge boon for business," Archer said.

The Penosbcot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce released statistics for six large cruise ships that arrived in September and October. Of the 9,728 passengers combined from those vessels, 28 percent took a bus trip shore excursion that went to Camden (Mount Battie as well as downtown Camden), the Owls Head Transportation Museum, and the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay.

The chamber pointed out that the remaining passengers remained in Rockland. Even those who took the bus trips returned to spend some hours in Rockland.

Environmental

Some residents have expressed concern about the potential environmental harm that the large cruise ships pose to Rockland and adjoining waters. But according to wastewater treatment specialists, that is not a concern.

Rockland Wastewater Treatment Director Terry Pinto said the ships have treatment systems on board that are superior to what Rockland has. The large cruise ships discharge their treated wastewater at least 12 miles offshore and the water discharged meets drinking water regulations.

City officials toured the Norwegian Gem when it was in port last month. City Manager Tom Luttrell said in a manager's report last month that recyclables and other certain wastes are unloaded from the ship in New York City after each seven-day cruise. Certain food wastes are shredded into fine particles and dumped overboard when the ship is 12 miles offshore.

Lobster harvesting gear

Yet another criticism of the large cruise ships is that they damage traps as they travel into Rockland Harbor. Maine Marine Patrol Sgt. Matthew Talbot said he has not had any reports this year of lobster gear being damaged by cruise ships.

He said in past years there have been some reports, but that the damage was not solely from cruise ships but also ferries, large yachts and the barge that carries cement out of Rockland. He said competing uses of the waters result in such incidents.

Large cruise ships have been targeted for criticism for much of the current decade. In March 2010, the Rockland Harbor Management Commission made a presentation to the City Council.

The report from the Harbor Management Commission stated that Bar Harbor and Portland have had a host of issues with the "mega cruise ships." Some of those concerns include environmental impacts, such as diesel engines that "spew exhaust equivalent to 10,000 cars," ocean currents that bring discharged sewage dumped three miles at sea to the shore, and pollution that negatively affects the lobster industry.

The commission also stated that studies have shown that local residents often avoid areas and businesses during peak shore visits in some towns and are "apt to avoid downtown at all times for fear a ship will be in port."

Business owners have not reported hearing of any local residents avoiding their shops on the few days that cruise ships are in town.

The commission also stated in 2010 that another concern of these other communities was an increase in crime. There are again no statistics or anecdotal reports to back up that claim in Rockland.

"We want to be clear that we are not saying no to cruise ships; we are just requesting that the council take a careful and thoughtful look at the reality of the impact on our small town," the commission stated at the time.

Some of the concerns expressed in 2010 have also been voiced more than seven years later, but without any concrete facts to support them.

Rockland Harbor Commission Meeting 10/17/17 AUDIO RECORDINGS

Audio recordings form the Rockland Harbormaster Commission meeting held  101717 at the Harbormaster's office.

Note there is considerable background noise from a Rockland Yacht Club event  party being held beyond the room  divider at  back right in the photo.

Part 1. 15minutes

Part 2. 16minutes

Part 3. 20 minutes

Ron Huber recording

Rockland cruise ship fees discussed by city council, harbor mgmt commission & interested parties

Rockland cruise ship fees discussed by city council, harbor mgmt commission & interested parties 10/2/17
Joining the council & harbor commission were representatives of Penobscot Bay  & River Pilots, Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerce & Friends of Penobscot Bay.

Part 1 Intro , Louise M Ruf, David Leon, Matt Ondra 11min

Part 2 Vallee Geiger, Q&A , discussion 7min 2sec

Part 3 Tom Peaco, Ruf & QA 9min 20sec

Part 4, Ed Glaser, Tom Peaco (Penbay Chamber of Commerce), Matt. 10 min

Part 5. Tom Luttrell grants discussion  8min 3 sec

Part 6 Discussion Bar Harbor & Rockland fees 8min 12 sec

Part 7. Ed Glaser on his amendments, discussion, to end of mtg 4min 30sec

Cruise ship schedules Rockland Maine 2017

Scheduled Cruise ship arrivals/departures  Rockland  Maine 2017
twenty two visits so far. Six more to come.

Source - cruisemapper - Rockland Maine 2017

Tuesday
30 May, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 30 May - departing at 30 May)


Thursday
8 June, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 08 Jun - departing at 08 Jun)

Thursday
15 June, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 15 Jun - departing at 15 Jun)

Thursday
22 June, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 22 Jun - departing at 22 Jun)


Thursday
13 July, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 13 Jul - departing at 13 Jul)

Thursday
20 July, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 20 Jul - departing at 20 Jul)

Thursday
27 July, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 27 Jul - departing at 27 Jul)
MS Independence (arriving at 27 Jul - departing at 27 Jul)



Thursday
3 August, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 03 Aug - departing at 03 Aug)
MS Independence (arriving at 03 Aug - departing at 03 Aug)

Thursday
10 August, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 10 Aug - departing at 10 Aug)
MS Independence (arriving at 10 Aug - departing at 10 Aug)

Thursday
17 August, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 17 Aug - departing at 17 Aug)
MS Independence (arriving at 17 Aug - departing at 17 Aug)

Thursday
24 August, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 24 Aug - departing at 24 Aug)
MS Independence (arriving at 24 Aug - departing at 24 Aug)

Thursday
31 August, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 31 Aug - departing at 31 Aug)


Friday
1 September, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 01 Sep - departing at 01 Sep)

Thursday
7 September, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 07 Sep - departing at 07 Sep)

Thursday
14 September, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 14 Sep - departing at 14 Sep)

Friday
22 September, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 22 Sep - departing at 22 Sep)

Tuesday
26 September, 2017

Vision Of The Seas (arriving at 07:00 - departing at 19:00)

-----------------

Wednesday
4 October, 2017

Vision Of The Seas (arriving at 07:00 - departing at 18:00)

Sunday
15 October, 2017

Silver Whisper (arriving at 07:00 - departing at 17:00)

Thursday
19 October, 2017

Norwegian Gem (arriving at 08:00 - departing at 18:00)

Friday
20 October, 2017

Vision Of The Seas (arriving at 07:00 - departing at 18:00)

Rockland Harbor Mgmt Commission 9/20/17 mtg: cruise ships, pier upgrades, lobsterfest. AUDIO mp3s

Rockland Harbor Mgmt Commission audio  with notes from the meeting below the recordings

* Part 1   Get MLA involved in cruiseship impacts? Grants win some lose some: south end ramp,inner harbor piers, changes 21 mins    (link  fixed)

* Part 2 Cruise ships issues discussion 28min 23sec  Topics: how limit themLobstermen windjammers  users oppose expansion Main street supports  Much more 

* Part 3 of 3  Lobster festival future - move out carnies/ move in foodies? 9min 8sec

* Full Rockland HMC mtg 9/20/17. 1 hour

Notes from Rockland Harbor Commission Meeting 9/20/17 

PART 1 Recording

Public comment: Ron Huber urges  the HMC contact other bay & river HMCs that host cruiseships and work together,  Or else "jhang separately)

Update fishpier grant application 

Harbormaster is open to major infrastructure revamping of waterfront 

Grants city got two grants for south end ramp dock  Missed out of two grants also inclue BIG grant 

dredging fishpier etc need acoe and other area

City will pull floats after Oct 19  end of cruise season

New harbormaster website up ,  webcam not yet working 

PART 2 recording

Cruise ship fees - mayor will says no workshop only selected interested parties at table of meeting 

City must publish public notice of non workshop

Compared cruise ship fees elsewhere

 Council to ask for rise from $8 to $10 per head   Very low amount 

Louise notes Rocklandf unique location , 

Other maine towns  have moratoriums on cruiseships . How? Through limiting access to cruiseship tender vessels 

This cirucumvented is  when cruisesers using private dock  - will FMC sell out and become a cruise ship dock

Summer and shoulder seas on - push back from city council  for more

Rockland is not a class a port so no direct vessels from outside US  Musdt enter via boston or portland 

How many cruiseships plan to his Rockland /bay? hard to find out. 

Informal poll shows people 50 50 divided - lobstermen other  harbor users mostly opposed to cruise ship expansion while  main street supports expansion uber alles.

Need a formal study of the effects on existing users   Ron Hubersuggests get MLA involved  

Origin of vessels  most come to maine going north not south  from Boston portland 

Concern by chair that the chamber of commerce  seek year round jobs businesses not seaonsals They workout  distrib lixt re creuiseships

Houseboats in rockland harbor - topic for n=future HMNC meeting 

Tom Luttrell organizing a tourf of the swewage treatment system of a cruise ship  Get on this list

PART 3 recordings

Lobster festival Cindy powers said  the could look into moving carnies from lobster festival Make it more   foodie celebration than  generic carnival - do that elsewhere. elsewhen

Lack of quorum means Louise nominee for HMC chair - cant be voted on .

End of meeting