Portsmouth is now home to state's largest ‘Clean Marina’

New England Boatworks lauded for environmental stewardship

By Jim McGaw
Posted 5/5/17

PORTSMOUTH — Longtime sailor Dennis Nixon remembers the days when you couldn’t jump into “Salt Pond” at Point Judith because it was full of raw sewage.

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Portsmouth is now home to state's largest ‘Clean Marina’

New England Boatworks lauded for environmental stewardship

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — Longtime sailor Dennis Nixon remembers the days when you couldn’t jump into “Salt Pond” at Point Judith because it was full of raw sewage.

“That became our first no-discharge area,” said Mr. Nixon, who works to promote environmental stewardship of coastal and marine resources as director of R.I. Sea Grant.

He also happens to be a customer of New England Boatworks (NEB), where he’s been storing his boat every winter for about a decade. Friday morning, Mr. Nixon had the pleasure of being master of ceremonies for a program that recognized the business as being Rhode Island’s largest “Clean Marina.”

The Clean Marina Program, a voluntary initiative coordinated by the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council, recognizes marinas that go beyond regulatory requirements by applying innovative, pollution-prevention practices to their daily operations. 

NEB is one of only five Rhode Island marinas to earn the designation and the first on Aquidneck Island. To be designated as a “Clean Marina,” the business must comply with all applicable regulatory requirements and adopt mandatory best management practices. 

The lengthy checklist includes things such as a stormwater pollution prevention plan, procedures for dealing with oil spills, educating boaters on solid and liquid waste recycling, having absorbent materials available for boat maintenance, using phosphate-free and biodegradable detergents, offering affordable and convenient pump-out facilities, and much more.

“It is not an easy designation to get,” said Grover Fugate, executive director of CRMC, who presented NEB partner Tom Rich with a certificate before dozens of people — including U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse — inside Building 11 at the marina Friday morning.

NEB also took the additional step of working with Clean Ocean Access to acquire a trash skimmer that will be installed at its fuel dock. The skimmer, made possible by funding from 11th Hour Racing, both reduces marine debris and generates awareness about the types of debris found in the water. Two identical Skimmers placed in Newport Harbor collected over 6,000 pounds of debris in only four months.

“New England Boatworks has always been known for its craftsmanship; you build the best yachts in the world,” Mr. Nixon said. Going forward, Mr. Nixon said, the marina “will also be known for your stewardship.”

Sen. Whitehouse lauded Mr. Rich and NEB for building some of the best and most competitive boats in the world and offering top-flight marina amenities. The Clean Marina designation “puts that leadership in a hue of green,” he said.

Janet Coit, director of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), called the boatyard a “role model for other marinas.”

Working with regulatory bodies such as RIDEM is “central” to protecting water quality in Narragansett Bay and beyond, Ms. Coit said. “You truly are a leader in the industry,” she added.

Debris is ‘everywhere’

Volvo Race skipper Charlie Enright of Bristol said the new trash skimmer is a start in helping to clean up local waters and he hopes other marinas follow suit.

“I can tell you from where I’ve been that marine debris is everywhere,” said Mr. Enright.

Mr. Rich recalled a 2003 visit to NEB by the Environmental Protection Agency “that wasn’t so friendly.” However, he said, a lot of good came out of it.

“As a result of that, I think the Clean Marina Program got a little bit of a kick,” said Mr. Rich, who urged other marinas to work toward the designation as well.

For more about the Clean Marina Program, click here.

New England Boatworks, CRMC, RIDEM

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