Division of Boating and Waterways Now Accepting Grant Applications to Help Keep California’s Waterways Clean
Grant applications due Aug. 10, 2023
Contact: Newsroom@parks.ca.gov
California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is now accepting grant applications for the Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Education and Outreach Grant Program. A maximum of $276,937 federal funding per targeted region is available to organizations for educating coastal and San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary recreational boaters about proper vessel sewage disposal and the use of pumpout facilities and monitoring pumpout and dump stations.
In 1992, Congress passed the CVA to help reduce pollution from vessel sewage discharges into U.S. waters. The grant program serves as an important educational opportunity for all boaters on how to help keep California’s waterways clean. Discharging sewage overboard creates environmental and human health problems. To reduce the negative impacts of this harmful action, all recreational boaters are encouraged to use sewage management facilities, including pumpout stations, dump stations, and mobile pumpout services.
The grant program targets two geographic regions of California:
San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary
Counties of:
Alameda Napa San Mateo Sonoma
Contra Costa Sacramento Santa Clara
Marin San Francisco Santa Cruz
Monterey San Joaquin Solano
Southern California Coast
Counties of:
Los Angeles San Diego Santa Barbara
Orange San Luis Obispo Ventura
Proposals that cover a portion of the above regions will be considered if, over time, the agency can expand program(s) to the entire region.
As part of DBW’s commitment to provide clean, safe, and enjoyable recreational boating in California, the division serves as the state CVA grant coordinator. DBW will fund two grants (one for each targeted California geographic region) to develop and implement a 12-monthCVA Education and Outreach Program. Each regional grant must include education and outreach efforts, and a pumpout/dump station monitoring program. Applications will be evaluated and ranked according to how each application proposal demonstrates comprehensive and proven methods for meeting grant program goals. The deadline to submit applications is by 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023.
Below are some examples of accomplishments from the CVA Education and Outreach Grant Program grantees San Francisco Estuary Partnership and The Bay Foundation from the last two grant cycles:
- Created and aired ten episodes of the podcast Dockside to educate the public on clean and safe boating practices.
- Participated in three boating events and conducted nine presentations on clean boating and sewage pollution prevention best management practices, reaching over 700 individual boaters and stakeholders.
- Produced a variety of educational videos about sewage management such as “Consider a Marine Composting Toilet” video and the “Marine Sanitation Device & Y-Valve Information for Boaters” video.
- Distributed more than 250 universal deck fitting adapter kits to boaters and marina managers. The adapter kit is a pollution prevention tool that helps boaters to pump out their boat hands-free.
- Continued to provide boaters with a sewage pumpout Nav App (more than 19,800 downloads since March 2018) that helps them locate nearby participating, functioning sewage pumpout stations, dump stations and floating restrooms.
- Monitored 152 sewage pumpouts and 15 dump stations in 19 counties eight times during the last two grant cycles. Developed the 2021 and 2022 California Clean Vessel Act Pumpout and Dump Station Performance Reports summarizing the monitoring results and efforts. Monitoring provides effective means to encourage better maintenance of and accountability for the pumpouts’ condition.
For detailed information on the grant program, the current grant application, requirements, and complete guidelines packet, please visit DBW’s website here.
CVA Education and Outreach Grant Program grantee projects.
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