SD10 - Report of the Joint Subcommittee Studying Marine Sanitation Devices

  • Published: 1983
  • Author: Joint Subcommittee Studying Marine Sanitation Devices
  • Enabling Authority: Senate Resolution 34 (Regular Session, 1982)

Executive Summary:
I. INTRODUCTION

The Subcommittee to Study the Effectiveness of Flow-Through Marine Sanitation Devices was first established in 1977. Since that time, it has continued in existence, monitoring state and federal developments with respect to MSD's. Current members of the Subcommittee are Senators Clive L. DuVal, 2d, Chairman, Elmo G. Cross, Jr., and Richard J. Holland; and Delegates Robert W. Ackerman, Ralph L. Axselle, Jr., Warren G. Barry, and Thomas W. Moss, Jr.

II. 1982 DELIBERATIONS

Since its establishment, much of the work of the Subcommittee has been concerned with the No-discharge petition for portions of the Rappahannock River, a designation which the Commonwealth has been seeking from the Environmental Protection Agency since 1979.

At its 1982 meeting, this Subcommittee was informed by representatives of the State Department of Health that no action has been taken on this petition during the past year; neither is any likely until the completion of an MSD regulatory review program being conducted by the EPA and the Coast Guard. This review was begun during 1981, and was responsible in part for the continuation of this study into 1982.

The Subcommittee sought testimony on the status of this review from the United States Coast Guard, which has assisted with the study for several years. Although the Coast Guard was unable to send a representative to this year's meeting, it did send written remarks, which are attached to this report as Appendix A. In its comments, the Coast Guard explained that the current MSD regulations and six alternative programs are included in its review. The review process will not be completed any earlier than the first part of this year (1983); even when the process itself is complete, implementation of any recommendations may require amendments to EPA standards or federal statutes. Thus, the Subcommittee will be in no position to react to the federal regulatory review prior to or even during the 1983 Session.