During recent testimony in the both Florida House and Senate hearings, legislators learned that the day-cruise gambling boats have the capacity to dump 44 million gallons of partially treated grey water and black water sewage off Florida’s coast every year. Due to restrictions in Federal Maritime Law, Florida cannot enact legislation banning sewage dumping from these vessels when they are beyond 3 miles from the east coast and 9 miles from the west coast of the State. But the legislation can make these ships pay for the construction and maintenance of pumpout facilities, which with these facilities in place there would be no reason for the ships not to use them. And that is exactly what The Clean Oceans Bills (HB57 and SB444) would do.

The Surfrider Foundation and other environmental groups that argued the bill into existence point to ocean current maps, and contend that although the sewage is discharged outside state waters, it winds up in state waters.

At least one Florida Senator, Senator Mike Bennett, wants to study the dispersal patterns of the sewage as well as the nutrient loading before the state forces these ships to pay for the pumpout facilities. When asked whether further scientific evidence was needed to show these discharges cause harm, Brian Keller, Science Coordinator for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, said, “This is less a matter of needing scientific evidence and more a matter of applying common sense.” According to the Surfrider Foundation, definitive studies from the Pew Oceans Commission, Congressional Reporting Service, U.S. General Accounting Office, U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary show that vessel discharges are contributing factors to degradation of our oceans.

Apparently, the day-cruise industry is determined to keep dumping sewage in the ocean. Day Cruise Association lobbyist Ralph Haben told the House Environmental & Natural Resource Council that, “We ain’t hooking up.”

To support the Clean Oceans’ Bill, you visit http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/gaming_ships_clone to encourage your state representatives to support the legislation. Visit http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/gaming_ships_clone_clone_2 to tell your Senators to support clean oceans.