Please use this page to comment about other topics you wish us to consider when drafting a Proposed rule.
I added a page for "useful life" comments.
If you have any other suggestions for topics that may need specific attention, please send me an email at Lisa_Van_Alstyne@fws.gov
4 Comments
Anonymous
Apr 17, 2014Janine -
Security cameras
We have installed security cameras at two locations that focus on the pumpout/dump station in an effort to reduce vandalism and also provide web access to let a boater know where it is, the condition and if it is busy. Are other states doing similar things?
Paddlers
I think recreational boater definition should be expanded to include paddlers. Disposal of their generated sewage is becoming a problem especially with the growing popularity of the sport and promotion of watertrails.
Anonymous
Apr 22, 2014Sewage Monitoring is becoming a new way to have accurate volumes of sewage pumped, be alerted for downtime or leaks in the pump. These should be encouraged to be funded with the equipment. This is especially helpful when a boater complains of a pumpout being down, the monitoring equipment should confirm if the equipment was inoperable.
Anonymous
Apr 29, 2014Al Ortiz, USFWS, R5 (413-253-8406)
Funds Recovered after Grant Period Ends:
Since CVA grants can be made only for a specific period of time, close grants often have a balance remaining after all is paid by the state. Those recovered funds were already obligated to a state and therefore are not competitive funds any longer by nature. In the guidelines received in 1998 by the Washington Office for CVA implementation of years 1999 and further, Regions were authorized to keep recovered funds to cover emergencies or unexpected situations that would arise between funding cycles. The expected amount of these recovered funds was deemed small enough not to make any difference to the National pot for subsequent years, therefore some Regions were able help states in those cases of emergencies and the National Program was never affected by it, in fact, in some years we had more money than requested funds. In the year 2010, this practice was disallowed and states have suffered through disasters like Super Storm Sandy with very little for us to do to help them at the moment.
Most recovered funds should be returned to Headquarters but a reasonable amount should be allowed to stay in the Regions if chosen to do so, to cover emergencies such as hurricanes, floods, and/or those sudden situations that should not be left to wait until the next funding period. By doing such, the amount of recovered funds should diminish as well since states will know that they don't have to request additional money every year in case they face one of those situations mentioned above. This is not a Regional competitive sub-program and should be used sparingly and carefully.
I recommend allowing again for those Regions that would like to keep some of the recovered funds to do so.
Anonymous
Apr 30, 2014Lynne V, NY - Create an App for the iphone and an App for Android users which would include all pumpout locations.
Combine the Project Statement and the Criteria on the applications to reduce repetitiveness.