Here is the letter back from Norm Colemans office:
Dear Mr. Carson:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the Clean Boating Act of 2008 (S. 2766). As a cosponsor of the bill, I share your concerns and support the goals of this legislation.
On March 13, 2008, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced S. 2766 and it has been referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. This legislation would restore an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation exempting recreational vessels from permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act. Since 1973, the EPA has exempted recreational boats from National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting for certain discharges incidental to normal operations. According to the EPA, there are over 13 million state-registered recreational boats that could be affected, with nearly 850,000 in Minnesota.
As you may know, in 2006, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California determined that the NPDES permitting exemption was beyond the EPA's statutory authority to grant. Recreational boat owners, who were previously exempt, will be responsible to obtain a permit by September 30, 2008. For further information, please visit: http://epa.gov/owow/invasive_species/ballast_water.html.
Thank you once again for contacting me. If I may be of further assistance to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me again.
Sincerely,Norm ColemanUnited States Senate