“Delaware City Marina’s efforts are important to help protect the health and natural resources of the Delaware River and Estuary. By their commitment to best management practices, Delaware City Marina will certainly help improve water quality, protect fragile estuary marshes and ensure the Delaware River’s continued economic and recreational benefits,” said DNREC Deputy Secretary Small.

 “Delaware City Marina has gone above and beyond required environmental regulations and adopted safeguards that keep solvents, sewage, fuel and oil out of the water,” said Director Bunting-Howarth. “Their pledge to strive for continuous environmental improvements in their daily operations will set an example for other marinas to follow.”

The Delaware Clean Marina Program, a cooperative effort between the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the University of Delaware Sea Grant Marina Advisory Service, encourages marina operators to develop environmentally-sound operating and maintenance procedures. The program is voluntary, incentive-based and provides assistance and guidance to reduce the sources and impacts of nonpoint source pollution, including sewage facility management, fueling operations, fish and solid waste management and boat cleaning. Clean marinas enhance their public image and save money by adopting cost-effective best management practices.

Immediately after today’s certification ceremony, DNREC’s Pollution Prevention (P2) Program provided marine spill response training that included the ways to prevent, recognize and react to a fuel or sewage release. In addition, a demonstration of spill response equipment and clean-up techniques and information on how to develop a spill response plan were presented.

The Delaware Clean Marina Program provides marina owners and operators with comprehensive information on pollution prevention practices, offers training workshops and provides technical assistance to help marinas meet certification requirements. The program has distributed more than 1,000 oil and fuel spill kits, 27,000 “Clean Boating” tip cards and more than 3,000 pumpout  key chains. In April 2008, the first Delaware Clean Marina Expo showcased products, services and information available to reduce environmental impacts and create greener, more sustainable businesses. In September 2008, marine spill training was offered at Rehoboth Bay Marina.

As funding becomes available, the Delaware Clean Marina Program awards cost-share grants to marinas to help implement pollution reduction measures. Since its inception in 2003, more than $254,000 in cost-share funds for the purchase of pumpout systems, oil spill kits and education signage has been awarded.