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Priority Oyster Restoration Project Characterization Report
Shellfish Challenge Initiative Gulf of Mexico Program
Draft 6/10/97
The purpose of this report is to provide sufficient background information and analysis for the Watershed Evaluation Team to make an informed decision on whether to pursue implementation of this Priority Oyster Restoration Project.
Summary
Descriptive Information
Section 1: Project Identifiers
Section 2: Problem Description, Proposed Restoration Description, and Background Information
The Problem
Proposed Restoration Description
Background Information
Laws Prohibiting Sewage Discharges
On-Board Sewage Treatment and Holding Devices
Sewage Reception Facilities
Enforcement of Overboard Sewage Discharge Regulations
Clean Vessel Act
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Clean Vessel Act Grant Program
Results of the CVA Grant Program's 1995 Survey
Section 3: The Affected Area
Recreational Marinas
Commercial Marinas, Boatyards, Fuel Docks, and Seafood Landing Docks
Public Boat Ramps and Docks
Section 4: Potential to Increase Areas Available for Safe Harvest and Other Project Benefits
Section 5: Potential Positive and Negative Interactions with Other Coastal Activities
Section 6: Cost Information
Section 7: Financing Mechanisms
Section 8: Current Status of and Factors Affecting Project Support
Section 9: Project Participants
Section 10: The Project's Relationship to Barataria-Terrebonne NEP's Comprehensive Conservation
and Management Plan
Action Plan for Implementation
Section 11: Potential Implementation Team
Section 12: Detailed Restoration Strategy Description
Section 13: Education and
Outreach Opportunities to Further Project Implementation
Sources of Information
Table 1. Louisiana CVA Grant Program Location Planning Results
Table 2. Coastal Marinas in Barataria and Terrebonne Bays
Table 3. Costs of Recent Spot Closures in Louisiana
Table 4. Various Views on Sector Support for Installing New and Using Pumpouts/Dump Stations
Table 5. Project Champions,
Stakeholders, and Decision Makers
Map 1. Recreational Marina Locations
Map 2. Commercial Marina Locations
Map 3. Oil and Gas Platforms with a Sanitary Discharge
Summary
There are many opportunities
for the Shellfish Challenge Initiative to assist
the installation of new pumpouts and dump stations
and improve the use of these sewage reception
facilities. There is a readily-available existing
funding source, the Clean Vessel Act Program,
that provides 75 percent of the costs to marina
owners for the installation and/or maintenance
of sewage reception facilities. There are no pumpouts
and only 2 dump stations at over 40 recreational
marinas in Barataria and Terrebonne Bays. There
is a large number of recreational boaters that
could use additional facilities and many marina
owners in the area have expressed interest in
installing facilities. There is also a significant
opportunity to explore installing pumpouts and
dump stations at commercial marinas, boatyards,
fuel docks, seafood landing docks, and public
marinas maintained by the parishes. A targeted
public education and outreach campaign has been
started by the LA Division of Wildlife and Fisheries,
but there are significant opportunities for expanding
this effort and developing new partnerships with
regional and local entities. Funding from the
Clean Vessel Act Program might also be available
for increased public education and outreach efforts.
The implementation of this project also accomplishes
many actions identified in the Barataria-Terrebonne
National Estuary Program's Comprehensive Conservation
and Management Plan.
Descriptive Information
Section 1: Project Identifiers
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Project Title |
Install New and Improve Use of Marina Pumpouts |
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Project Reference Number |
BT-31 |
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Basin |
Basin-wide |
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Parish |
Plaquemines, Jefferson, Lafourche, Terrebonne |
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Local Communities Involved or Affected |
None are directly involved or affected |
Section 2: Problem Description, Proposed Restoration Strategy Description, and Background Information
The Problem
The discharge of sewage from
recreational and commercial vessels (overboard
sewage discharge) can result in adverse impacts
to both humans and the environment. With respect
to oyster harvesting, processing, distribution,
and consumption, the discharge of sewage over
or in the vicinity of oyster beds can cause:
- Human health risks. Enteric bacteria and viruses in the discharged sewage are concentrated by filter-feeding oysters and, when eaten by humans, can cause illness and disease.
- Spot-closures in oyster harvesting areas normally classified as open. Increased fecal coliform bacteria counts and/or illness events traced back to areas where sewage has been discharged, has resulted in productive oyster harvesting areas being closed by the Department of Health and Hospitals. These closures can directly impact the livelihood of oyster harvesters, processors, and distributors and the economies of the communities in which they work and live.
- Negative publicity about Louisiana oysters. When newspapers tell stories about Louisiana oysters causing human illness and disease, their demand in the national market decreases. This can directly impact local, regional, and state economies.
- Local water quality degradation. Increased organic wastes in waters that are not adequately flushed can cause a reduction in dissolved oxygen levels (which has caused fish kills).
Coastal Louisiana has over 165,000 registered boat owners (the state total is over 275,00), but there are only 8 sewage reception facilities at the 68 recreational marinas and unknown number of commercial docking facilities that serve this coastal boating and fishing community (DWF survey, 1995). As a point of reference to the small number of sewage reception facilities in coastal Louisiana, guidelines proposed by the Clean Vessel Act call for one pumpout for every 300 to 600 boats. There have been recent instances of human illness attributed to eating sewage-contaminated oysters from Louisiana and negative publicity from these events has damaged the Louisiana oyster industry's standing in the national market.
Proposed Restoration Strategy
Description
Participants at the Shellfish
Challenge Targeting Workshop (February 1997) agreed
on an oyster restoration strategy for this problem:
"install pumpouts where needed and improve use
of present pumpout facilities by increasing enforcement
and public awareness of the problem". The proposed
plan for implementing this oyster restoration
strategy has four parts (note that the relative
effort to be applied to each of the parts still
needs to be determined).
- Part 1 concentrates on augmenting the availability of sewage reception facilities in the study area by facilitating the installation of new pumpouts/dump stations at the "best" (e.g., highest traffic, most convenient location, owner willing to install facility, etc.) recreational and/or commercial marinas and docks. Note that the Shellfish Challenge Project process (November 96 Stakeholders Meetings) preliminary identified the following areas as possible good candidates for the installation of new pumpouts/dump stations at recreational and/or commercial marinas and docks: Empire/Port Sulphur, Cocodrie, Bayou du Large, Grand Isle, Lafitte, Fourchon, Leeville, and Golden Meadow.
- Part 2 concentrates on developing a regional public education and outreach effort that emphasizes the importance and benefits of using pumpouts/dump stations.
- Part 3 concentrates on developing mechanisms to better enforce overboard discharge rules, once pumpouts/dump stations are more widely available in the region.
- Part 4 concentrates
on investigating available technologies and
the feasibility to use these technologies
for on-board sewage treatment for recreational
and commercial vessels.
Background Information
There are several state and
federal laws that apply to sewage discharge, marine
sanitation devices, and sewage reception facilities.
Federal requirements are specified under the Clean
Water Act, the Clean Vessel Act, and the Coastal
Zone Reauthorization Act. Applicable Louisiana
laws include the State Sanitary Code, the Water
Control Law, and the Natural and Scenic Rivers
Act. Parish, municipal, and other local governmental
agencies may also have rules and regulations.
Laws Prohibiting Sewage
Discharges
Under federal law, it is
illegal to discharge raw sewage from a vessel
in US territorial waters, the Great Lakes, and
navigable rivers. The Louisiana Water Control
Law prohibits the discharge of any untreated sewage
or sewage sludge. It also gives the Secretary
of the Department of Environmental Quality the
authority to establish standards and guidelines
to prevent the discharge from vessels any trash,
garbage, and untreated or improperly treated sewage
or sewage sludge in an amount that would degrade
water quality. Through the State Sanitary Code,
the Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) regulates
the discharge of sewage over oyster reefs.
On-Board Sewage Treatment
and Holding Devices
Sewage discharge from vessels
can be mitigated through the proper use of on-board
sewage treatment and/or holding devices (OSD).
The OSDs on recreational and commercial vessels
typically used in Barataria and Terrebonne Bays
range from a bucket to a portable toilet to an
installed toilet with a holding tank.
Vessels with installed toilets
must be equipped with a Marine Sanitation Device
(MSD) certified by the US Coast Guard. There are
three types of MSDs - a Type I MSD treats sewage
with disinfectants, macerates the sewage, and
discharges the treated sewage; a Type II MSD,
with a larger treatment plant, provides a higher
level of treatment than a Type I MSD, but also
discharges the treated sewage; the different models
of a Type III MSD, a recirculating system, an
incinerating system, or a holding tank, do not
have a discharge. The treated discharge from a
Type I and Type II MSD cannot exceed an E. coli count of 1,000
and 100 per 100 milliliters, respectively. A Y-valve
may be installed on Type III MSDs to allow the
direct discharge of raw sewage when the vessel
is outside US territorial waters, but the valve
must be secured in a closed position while operating
in US waters. Buckets and portable toilets are
not considered installed toilets and are not subject
to MSD regulations, however, it is illegal to
empty portable toilets overboard in US territorial
waters.
Manufacturers must label
MSDs as US Coast Guard-approved. The label shows
the name of the manufacturer, the name and model
of the device, a certification number, the month
and year of manufacture, and a certification statement.
This serves as proof that the MSD has been tested
to meet US Coast Guard regulations for design
and construction and USEPA regulations and standards
as required under the Clean Water Act. Holding
tanks (Type III MSDs), which only contain and
do not treat sewage on the vessel, are not labeled
but are considered US Coast Guard approved if
they are used to store sewage and flushwater.
A holding tank must have enough reserve capacity
to retain the wastes generated while the vessel
is operating in waters where the discharge of
sewage is prohibited.
In general, recreational
vessels are not required to be equipped with a
toilet, although US Coast Guard regulations require
that any vessel, both recreational or commercial,
over 65 feet must have a Type II or III MSD. For
the oyster industry, there is a potential (i.e.,
being considered/discussed) requirement that oyster
boats have at least a covered container with capacity
for 2 gallons of sewage per person per day. Additionally,
there is a requirement in the Sanitary Code that
specifically prohibits overboard discharge of
sewage over oyster reefs, even from Type I and
Type II MSDs.
- According to a 1995 DWF survey, 17 percent of Louisiana's recreational boaters have portable toilets and 11 percent have installed toilets and MSDs.
Sewage Reception Facilities
In inshore waters, OSDs are
only effective if there is an appropriate system
to receive the collected sewage. Through the use
of a pump or vacuum, pumpouts are used for emptying
a vessel's holding tank or, with a wand attachment,
can be used to empty a portable toilet. Pumpouts
can be fixed in position or set up as a portable
unit on wheels, on a trailer, or on a boat (note
that pumpouts on wheels are usually manually operated
and are of a size that must be dumped after every
use). Dump stations, which are normally fixed
in position, are used for emptying portable toilets.
Collected sewage must then be treated by the marina's
sewage treatment system (connection to the public
sewer system or to an individual treatment system)
or be held in an on-site holding tank for later
transport, via truck, to a regional treatment
system.
There is a new Louisiana
regulation that requires new or significantly
expanded marinas to provide a pumpout or dump
station.
- According to DWF, there are two dump stations and no pumpouts in Barataria and Terrebonne Bays.
Enforcement of Overboard
Sewage Discharge Regulations
The US Coast Guard and DWF
are responsible for enforcing overboard sewage
discharge laws and both have the authority to
give citations for violations. Most of this enforcement
effort, especially for recreational and commercial
vessels in inshore waters, is conducted by 90
DWF officers that work in coastal areas of Louisiana.
DWF operates three planes for enforcement overflights
in coastal areas.
In addition to the 90 DWF
officers that work in coastal Louisiana, there
is a four person Oyster Strike Force (OSF) that
are dedicated to enforcing oyster-oriented regulations.
The oyster industry helps fund OSF operations
through proceeds from oyster harvesting license
fees. The OSF monitors all phases of the oyster
production process, from harvesting to the point
of shipping the product, enforcing Title 56 DWF
(e.g., leases, licenses, tags, harvesting, public
seed grounds, depuration) and DHH (e.g., handling,
packaging, shipping, relaying, overboard discharge)
regulations.
There have been discussions
about the grounds for giving a citation for overboard
sewage discharges when sewage reception facilities
are not conveniently available (gross violations
are obviously not included in this discussion).
A serious increase in enforcement efforts would
not be warranted until pumpouts and dump stations
are conveniently located and a public education
and outreach campaign has been initiated to let
people know where the facilities are and why is
it important to use them.
Clean Vessel Act
The US Congress passed the
Clean Vessel Act (CVA) in 1992 to reduce sewage
discharges from recreational boats. One of the
reasons for creating the CVA was the impact of
sewage on harvestable shellfish resources. The
CVA provides a cost reimbursement grant program
to states for 75 percent of the expenses for constructing,
renovating, operating, and maintaining pumpouts
and dump stations. CVA grants may also be used
to develop education and information programs
to encourage boaters to use sewage reception facilities.
All recreational vessels must be allowed access
to pumpouts/dump stations funded under the CVA.
Department of Wildlife
and Fisheries Clean Vessel Act Grant Program
The Louisiana Department
of Wildlife and Fisheries (DWF) has developed
a Federally-approved plan to implement the CVA
from 1992 to 1997 (although current funding will
allow the Program to provide grants until 1999;
Congress is also discussing the reauthorization
of the CVA for another five years). Under this
plan, the Louisiana CVA Grant Program provides
grants for the construction, expansion, operation
and maintenance of pumpouts and dump stations;
construction of sewage holding facilities; connection
to sewage treatment facilities; and development
of public education and information programs.
Ineligible projects include constructing or increasing
capacity of an on-site wastewater treatment plant
and constructing or renovating restroom facilities.
The Program has two parts that are mainly administrative:
coastal and inland.
The Program's success, as
measured by the number of applications received
and the number of new pumpouts/dump stations installed,
has been moderate. While there are criteria and
a methodology for competitive evaluation of the
applications, the Program has always had the resources
to fund applications on a first-come, first-serve
basis. Relative to other states, the low number
of applications may be due to the fact that Louisiana
does not have laws requiring pumpouts/dump stations
at marinas. In addition, Louisiana does not have
stringent laws for MSD requirements on recreational
or commercial vessels. Vessels with full holding
tanks would require sewage reception facilities
at marinas.
CVA grants can be used for
purchasing, installing, and maintaining a pumpout
or dump station, and for installing a holding
tank for sewage collected with the pumpout/dump
station. Grants can also be used for putting in
a pipe to connect the pumpout to a sewage treatment
system or holding tank. Grants cannot be used
for installing or upgrading a sewage treatment
system shared with other sewage-producing facilities
(e.g., restrooms at the marina). This restriction
has served as a disincentive to Louisiana's Program,
as marinas in coastal Louisiana are often far
from public treatment facilities, making connection
impossible and transportation of holding tank
contents expensive. In addition, installing a
pumpout requires that the Department of Health
and Hospitals permit proper connection to a sewage
treatment system and available capacity. If a
marina's current individual sewage treatment system
capacity limits or current connection to a public
sewer is inadequate, it will be cited in such
a compliance review.
The focus of the Program
is to install sewage reception facilities at recreational
marinas. While no language specifically prohibits
the use of CVA grants at docks other than recreational
marinas, the Clean Vessel Act does stipulate that
a CVA-funded sewage reception facility must be
made available to anyone who wishes to use it
(i.e., the general public). Therefore, the installation
of a pumpout or dump station at a commercial marina,
boatyard, fuel dock, or seafood landing dock does
appear to be an option, but the commercial marina
would have to serve any demand from recreational
boats.
To receive a CVA grant, the
marina owner must submit an application package
that includes a grant application; a program narrative
letter; a cost estimate (for both equipment purchases
and installation contracting); an appraisal of
the value of the in-kind property contribution;
a project location map; a project site plan; site
drawings; a plat and legal description; photographs
of the proposed site; evidence of property control;
an Authority to Execute Cooperative Endeavor Agreement;
sewage disposal permits from the Department of
Health and Hospitals; and environmental compliance
permits from Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
Department of Natural Resources, Department of
Environmental Quality, and/or US Army Corps of
Engineers, if necessary.
The cost estimate must include
at least three written quotations and the Program
will fund 75 percent of the lowest price quote.
A 25 percent match, in cash or in-kind services
related to planning and installing the pumpout/dump
station, must be provided by the marina owner.
On average, the cash value of this match amounts
from $3000 to $5000. To help defray operational
and maintenance costs, marina owners are allowed
to charge a maximum of $5.00 per use of pumpouts/dump
stations constructed with a CVA grant, but very
few marinas in Louisiana actually charge for this
service. The marina owner's compliance responsibilities
include preparing an operational plan for the
sewage reception facility, ensuring availability,
posting markers and signs indicating the pumpout/dump
station's presence, keeping an operational log,
and maintaining insurance on the device.
It appears that the match
money requirement, the logistical "red-tape" of
arranging installation and acquiring necessary
permits, and the cost-reimbursement nature (versus
up-front money) of the Program have all served
as disincentives to installing sewage reception
facilities.
The Program's public education
and information effort includes a wide range of
activities. Initial efforts were focused on marina
owners, sending letters to all owners describing
the Program and the availability of grant application
packages. DWF has coordinated educational and
outreach activities with USFWS which produces
national level educational materials. The Program's
efforts, either completed or in progress, include:
- Workshops for marina operators
- News releases and public service announcements for television and radio
- Two videos; one for marina operators (how to operate pumpouts/dump stations) and one for recreational boaters (the need to use pumpouts/dump stations).
- Advertising with signs at marinas
- Distributing educational
brochures, maps, posters, and fact sheets
(e.g., to attendees at boat shows).
Results of the CVA Grant
Program's 1995 Survey
DWF surveyed recreational boat owners and marina owners to assess needs of the CVA Grant Program and then scored and ranked locations for installing new pumpouts and dump stations (Table 1). Final location planning considered several factors, including the needs assessment; waterbody rankings; the needs and desires of boaters and marina operators; sewage services at marinas; proximity of other marinas with sewage reception facilities; and water quality at projected locations.
Planned Locations for Installing New Sewage Reception Facilities in Barataria and Terrebonne Bays
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Section 3: The
Affected Area
Recreational Marinas
As discussed above, the focus of the Clean Vessel Act is to install sewage reception facilities at recreational marinas. There are approximately 42 recreational marinas in Barataria and Terrebonne Bays with a slip/mooring capacity of over 1880 vessels (Table 2). Among these 42 marinas, none have pumpouts and only two have dump stations. As most of these marinas have restrooms, it can be assumed that there is an available sewage treatment system (although the level of its functionality cannot be assumed). Note that in coastal Louisiana, current trends indicate that there are not many large recreational marinas being built, but there are many "mom and pop" marinas moving in and out of operation.
* Data from Louisiana Sea Grant 1995 Marina Directory, DNR Marina Database, and LA DWF "A Guide to Marine Sewage Disposal Stations in Coastal Louisiana" brochure
Interest in the CVA Grant Program has varied in Plaquemines, Jefferson, Lafourche, and Terrebonne parishes. As reasons for not pursuing a CVA grant, recreational marina owners cite high up-front costs, hassles with obtaining permits, the need for extra employees to man the pumpout/dump station, lack of pier space, and the requirement to allow public access. It appears, though, that opportune situations to install pumpouts/dump stations exist, if the CVA Grant Program partnered with local entities, such as the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service agents. These agents personally know the marina owners and their circumstances. The following serves as an example opportune situation:
_ The Cypress Cove Marina,
one of the two large recreational marinas in Plaquemines
Parish, has demonstrated significant interest
in providing sewage reception facilities to its
customers. The primary problem here is that the
marina is 1 to 1.5 miles from the nearest sewer
line and the marina owner determined that his
cost share under the CVA Grant Program to put
in a sewage reception facility, a small pump,
and a line of pipe to connect to sewer is prohibitive.
An opportunity persists though, because a hotel
will soon be constructed next to the Cypress Cove
marina and will have to be connected to this sewer
line.
Commercial Marinas, Boatyards,
Fuel Docks, and Seafood Landing Docks
There are many other opportunities
to install pumpouts and dump stations throughout
Barataria and Terrebonne Bays besides recreational
marinas. In fact sewage reception facilities at
high-traffic commercial docks may be a more effective
way to reduce overboard sewage discharges over
or near oyster reefs.
Plaquemines Parish
Parish officials have conceptual
plans to put standardized pumpouts at all of the
parish-owned commercial marinas; these are located
in Point a la Hache, Empire, Buras, and Venice
(there is a new section of the Empire marina being
constructed in Empire). All of these marinas participate
in a public recycled oil collection program and
the Parish is considering installing sewage reception
facilities. There is a high concentration of oyster
boats docked in Empire (approximately 140 oyster
vessels). There is a smaller concentration of
oyster boats docked in Port Sulphur.
Jefferson Parish
There are no large commercial
marinas in Jefferson Parish (editor's note, what
about Grand Isle?). There are no consistently
used oyster unloading docks in Jefferson Parish,
as most are trucked to New Orleans processing
facilities by the individual harvesters.
Lafourche Parish
The Nirby Collins marina,
within the parish's Port Fourchon port facility,
docks and serves the largest concentration of
commercial fishing vessels in Lafourche Parish
(the contact here is Ted Falgout, Executive Director
of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission). Griffin
Marina, in Leeville, also sells fuel and ice and
serves as a catch landing dock for a large concentration
of commercial fishing vessels. Griffin Marina
also participates in a public recycled oil collection
program.
Terrebonne Parish
There are large concentrations of commercial fishing vessels at four docks in the parish; these include both commercial marinas and shimper docks. There are also at least four seafood landing docks used frequently by parish oyster harvesters: docks in Dulac, Montegut, Bayou du Large, and Cocodrie.
Public Boat Ramps and
Docks
Public boat ramps and docks
do not offer the most advantageous sites for installing
pumpouts and dump stations because boats normally
pulled out of the water on a boat ramp are of
a size that do not have (and are not required
to have) installed toilets and holding tanks.
Some of these smaller boats might have portable
toilets that could be emptied into a dump station.
Some public boat ramps, though, are located in
areas where larger recreational and commercial
boats moor. There are at least three possible
sites for installing sewage collection facilities
at public boat ramps in Barataria and Terrebonne
Bays:
- Cocodrie public launch; lots of recreational boat traffic at this ramp, including many larger recreational boats that fish the oil rigs; some commercial fishermen moor in this area; there is no available wastewater treatment facility near this ramp
- Leeville public launch; lots of smaller recreational boats are hauled out here; some commercial fishermen moor in this area
- Golden Meadow public
launch; lots of smaller recreational boats
are hauled out here; lots of commercial fishermen
moor in this area
Section 4: Potential
to Increase Areas Available for Safe Harvest and
Other Project Benefits
Outbreaks of gastroenteritis
associated with the Norwalk (or Norwalk-like)
virus have caused five significant spot-closures
in Louisiana since 1982. All five outbreaks were
linked to illnesses associated with the consumption
of raw oysters and caused significant areas of
public oyster seed grounds and private oyster
leases to be closed to harvest. Although the exact
mechanism by which the suspect oysters became
contaminated is being investigated, there is general
agreement that overboard discharges were a principal
contributor to at least two of the five closure
events - the 1993 closure at Cabbage Reef and
the 1997 closure at Black Bay. Other closures
include: the event at Caillou Lake and at St.
Mary's Point from November 11 to 26, 1982 was
cited in 450 cases of illness; a Norwalk-like
virus outbreak linked to an oil platform around
Stone Island in February 1996; closures in Black
Bay, Lake Fortuna, and Lake Machias from February
23 to April 13, 1996 were cited in 75 cases of
illness in four states - this closure is thought
to have been caused by raw sewage discharge from
a manned oil platform).
There are significant costs associated with spot-closures, both from the lack of production in the closed area during the closure and, more importantly, from the reduction in sack price due to decreased demand for Louisiana oysters (Table 3). Negative press about Louisiana oyster causing illness consistently decreases demand for the product.
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* Source: DHH/OPH/ES, 1997; DHH/OPH/ES, 1996; Kohn et al, 1995; and Ken Hemphill, DHH, personal communication.
** Source: Ron Dugas, DWF, personal communication; 1993 Cabbage Reef closure -- 3,879 sacks per day and 2,357 barrels of seed per day (based on average daily production from November 1 to15, 1996) * 23 fishable days (assuming approximately 80 percent of 29 days were fishable); 1997 Black Bay closure -- 5,885 sacks per day and no barrels of seed per day (based on December 10, 1996 DWF Boarding Report) * 17 fishable days (assuming approximately 80 percent of 21 days were fishable).
*** Source: With
assistance from Walter Keithly, LSU, the value
of estimated lost production was calculated [value = revenues ((number of sacks * 6 lbs. oyster meats per sack * price
per lb.) + (number of barrels * 2 sacks per barrel
* 6 lbs. oyster meats per sack * price per lb.))
- costs ($4.00 per sack)] using the following values and assumptions:
1993 price per lb. oyster meats, $1.70; 1997 price
per lb. oyster meats, $2.60; costs are $4.00 per
sack harvested; 6 lbs. oyster meats per sack;
2 sacks per barrel of oysters; 1 sack planted
equals 1 sack harvested; note that all values
and assumptions are conservative.
The successful implementation
of all parts of this project (Parts 1 through
4), and the resultant reduction in overboard sewage
discharges into Barataria and Terrebonne Bays,
could significantly reduce the number of spot-closures
caused by increased fecal coliform bacteria counts
in oyster harvesting areas normally classified
as open. This would reduce the number of harvest-days
lost to oyster harvesters in those areas and therefore
would mitigate impacts to local and regional economies.
A general reduction in overboard
sewage discharges might also reduce fecal coliform
bacteria counts in high boat traffic areas around
marinas, boat ramps, and popular fishing spots.
This may cause or contribute to an inland movement
of the seasonal classification line or an upgrade
in prohibited and restricted closures. In addition,
the general reduction of overboard sewage discharges
might reduce public health hazards associated
with swimming in these high boat traffic areas.
Successful implementation might also reduce the
number of illness and disease events caused by
humans eating sewage-contaminated oysters, and
therefore reduce the resulting negative publicity
about Louisiana oysters.
The timeframe to see possible
results could be immediately after installation
of new sewage reception facilities and inception
of a public education and outreach campaign (Parts
1 and 3). Reductions in overboard sewage discharges
could immediately impact the number and severity
of spot-closures in the region, as well other
benefits listed above.
Success for this project
can be measured many ways and appropriate indicators
of success will have to be developed, based on
desired project endpoints. Programmatic-oriented
successes could be claimed by the production of
this Characterization Report and convening a meeting
of the Implementation Team. Action-oriented successes
could be claimed by installing a specified number
of pumpouts/dump stations and distributing a specified
number of brochures and maps about these facilities.
Results-oriented successes could be claimed by
reducing the number of illnesses and illness events
or the occurrence, acreage, and duration of spot-closures
attributed to overboard sewage discharges. Depending
on the desired project endpoint, indicators and
a baseline for each indicator should be developed.
Section 5: Potential
Positive and Negative Interactions with Other
Coastal Activities
There do not appear to be
any negative interactions with other coastal activities
such as coastal restoration projects (e.g., freshwater
and sediment diversion, siphons, dredged material
placement, wetland creation), navigation projects
(e.g., dredging, channels, locks), flood control
projects (e.g., stormwater dispersion, levees,
terraces, canals, ditches), or erosion control
projects (e.g., wetland and barrier island restoration).
There are potential project interactions with oil and gas activities (e.g., exploration and extraction) in nearshore areas in the vicinity of oyster reefs. Sanitary discharges from manned oil and gas platforms have been implicated in releases of sewage that have caused recent illness events and spot-closures of oyster harvesting areas (e.g., at Stone Island in February 1996 and in Black Bay in April 1996). All impacts from sanitary discharges can be mitigated by including sewage discharges with the produced waters that are normally injected back into the ground during oil extraction processes. The location of oil and gas platforms with sanitary discharges should be determined and then the relative impact of sewage discharges from oil and gas platforms versus overboard sewage discharges should be considered in the implementation of this project.
Section 6: Cost
Information
Relative to other strategies
for reducing fecal coliform bacteria inputs to
Barataria and Terrebonne Bays this project is
low cost, and it already has an established funding
mechanism. From the experience of the Louisiana
CVA Grant Program, the average cost to the marina
owner for purchasing and installing a pumpout
is $12,000 to $15,000, although some applications
have applied for $20,000 to $50,000. Marina owners
are responsible for 25 percent of the total cost,
either as cash or in-kind services related to
installing the pumpout. The 75 percent grant is
reimbursed to the marina owner after installation
of the sewage reception facility. Maintenance
costs are normally assumed by the marina owner,
although CVA grants are also available for major
maintenance. Even though they are allowed to charge
up to $5 per use of a pumpout/dump station installed
with a CVA grant, most marina owners provide pumpout
service to their customers free of charge.
Section 7: Financing
Mechanisms
Traditional opportunities
and the potential to obtain them
Alternative financing opportunities
Probability of receiving
funding
Cost to local community (local
share)
Cost to state (state share)
Section 8: Current
Status of and Factors Affecting Project Support
Relative to other coastal
states, the level of activity in the Louisiana
CVA Grant Program has been low to moderate (especially
considering that Louisiana Senator John Breaux
was one of the Act's sponsors). To date, only
a few public and private recreational marinas
have applied to the Program for grants.
The moderate level of activity
appears to be due, in part, to a general lack
of knowledge about the Program and, more importantly,
a general lack of knowledge about the adverse
impacts associated with overboard sewage discharges.
In some instances, there appears to be misinformation
about the Program, especially as relates to who
can apply for grants. Increased personal contact
may be an effective method to disseminate information
about the Program and combat misinformation.
An increased number of grant applications from recreational marinas can probably be generated with increased and more targeted public education and outreach efforts. Similar education and outreach efforts targeted towards commercial marinas, boatyards, fuel docks, and seafood landing docks may generate some grant applications, especially from parish owned/managed docks (this is especially true in Plaquemines Parish, were support for installing new pumpouts at four parish-owned marinas is very high). Table 4 shows the level of general support for this project, which varies widely depending on the entity being considered and the source of information.
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The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is very interested in working with the Shellfish Challenge Initiative in generating more grant applications and increasing public education and outreach efforts. |
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After an initial flood of applications at program inception, there has been low to moderate interest in the CVA Grant Program. Independent marina owners are leery of government, but personal contact may increase interest in the Program. The paperwork involved in developing a grant application is burdensome, and serves as a disincentive for many marina owners, both large and small. General interest is high as pumpouts are a desired service to provide to customers; high up-front costs and permitting red tape have served as serious roadblocks to actual installation of the systems. |
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Relative to the low level of activity from other marina organizations, they have been actively involved. |
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This group will use facilities if they are conveniently available. |
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There is some understanding of the problems caused by overboard sewage discharges, but it is a low priority for fishers in general. As the problem more directly affects the oyster industry, there is a higher level of support among leaders of the oyster industry. |
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Many oyster industry leaders strongly support efforts to reduce overboard sewage discharges, including the installation of pumpouts and dump stations at commercial marinas and seafood landing docks. There is an increasing understanding throughout the industry of problems caused by overboard discharges, i.e., there is a growing awareness that overboard sewage discharges can adversely affect the industry. On the other hand, there are many oyster harvesters that do not believe that overboard discharges cause illness, primarily because they continuously discharge overboard and illness events are relatively infrequent; in addition, these harvesters regularly eat oysters during harvesting trips. A serious targeted education effort would be required to attain regular pumpout use by any majority of oysters harvesters. |
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Section 9: Project
Participants
To successfully implement this project, an Implementation Team (IT), made up of all involved or affected stakeholders, will have to be formed and convened. Table 5 (see next page)details possible participants of the IT. Project Champions are committed local advocates that would serve as the Team Leader(s) of the IT. The rest of the IT would be made up of other Champions and Stakeholders critical to building project support and implementing the project. The IT's purpose is to "sell" the project's implementation to the Decision Makers, who actually have the authority and/or funding to implement the project.
Section 10:
The Project's Relationship to the Barataria-Terrebonne
NEP's Comprehensive Conservation and Management
Plan
The implementation of Parts
1 through 4 of the Proposed Restoration Strategy
Description (Section 2) directly accomplishes
or attains significant initial progress on several
actions in BTNEP's Comprehensive Conservation
and Management Plan (CCMP). The bullets represent
the reference number and text of actions in the
BTNEP CCMP.
General Implementation of the Project
- EM10M16.00 Coordinate with the GMP in their Shellfish Challenge Plan, and target Barataria-Terrebonne as an area for demonstration under the GMP.
Part 1 - Increasing the number of pumpouts and dump stations in the study area.
- EM10S4.00 Develop new or modify existing regulations to require containment and/or treatment of waste on commercial fishing and oyster vessels.
- EM10M6.00 Fund installation of marina pumpout stations and dump stations.
- EM10M7.00 Inspect marinas for pumpout facilities, and monitor Clean Vessel Act Program facilities for proper operation and availability.
- SR2S4.00 Hold special
task force workshops involving all those impacting
and impacted by specific CCMP actions.
Part 2 - Increase public education and outreach activities.
- EM10S1.00 Plan educational workshops and presentation for homeowners, local organizations, Public Service Commission members, realtors and bankers, commercial fishermen, recreational boaters, marina operators, and local governing bodies. These workshops will provide information on the impact of sewage on water quality, human health, and fisheries, and will also provide information about treatment options and technologies, appropriate maintenance of home systems, and technical and financial assistance available. [emphasis added]
- EM10S2.00 Disseminate brochures, and show sewage video.
- EM10S3.00 Visit marinas to disseminate information on the Clean Vessel Program.
- SR9M2.00 Develop and conduct specific media and public relations campaigns tailored for individual estuary issues and CCMP actions.
- SR11S11.00 Produce materials
about CCMP actions in various printed formats
including brochure style, one-page fact sheet,
two to three page issue papers, etc.
Part 3 - Increasing enforcement of overboard sewage discharge regulations.
- EM10M9.00 Develop enforcement
systems to ensure containment or treatment
of sewage on commercial fishing vessels.
Part 4 - Investigate on-board sewage treatment technologies.
- No actions are directly
applicable to this part of the proposed oyster
restoration strategy.
Action Plan
for Implementation
Section 11:
Potential Implementation Team
This section identifies project
participants that would be good candidates to
serve on the Implementation Team (IT) for this
Priority Oyster Restoration Project. The goal
of convening the IT is to develop a detailed strategy
for implementing the project that provides the
best opportunities to "sell" implementation to
those with the authority and/or funding to act.
Possible Team Co-Leaders:
- Wilson Voisin, LA Oyster Task Force or Mike Voisin, Motivatit Seafood, Inc. or Buddy Pausina, LA Oyster Growers and Dealers Association
- Brian McManus, DWF or Ken Hemphill, DHH, or another state or parish government representative
Possible Team Members:
- Wilson Voisin, LA Oyster Task Force
- Mike Voisin, Motivatit Seafood, Inc.
- Buddy Pausina, LA Oyster Growers and Dealers Association
- Peter Vujnovich, Plaquemines Oyster Association
- George Barasisch, LA Commercial Fishermen's Association
- David Keyser, Marina and Boatyard Association of Louisiana
- XXX, Coastal Conservation Association
- Joe Tusa, LA Association of Coastal Anglers
- XXX, Oil and Gas Industry
- Brian McManus (or David LaVergne or Herb Holloway), DWF, Louisiana CVA Grant Program
- Jerome Zeringue, Terrebonne Parish Fisheries Agent
- Alan Matherne, Lafourche Parish Fisheries Agent (leaving LCES June 30, 1997)
- Jerald Horst, Jefferson Parish Fisheries Agent
- Paul Thibodaux, Plaquemines Parish Fisheries Agent
- Al Levron, Terrebonne Parish Government
- Cullen Curole, Lafourche Parish Government
- Ted Falgout, Greater Lafourche Port Commission
- Marine Winter, Jefferson Parish Government
- David Cvitanovich, Plaquemines Parish Government
- Major Keith LaCaze, DWF Enforcement Division
- Lieutenant Roy Chauvin, DWF Oyster Strike Force
- E.J. Savastano, Plaquemines Parish Sanitarian
- Teda Boudreaux, DHH Sanitarian
- Ken Hemphill, DHH/OPH Oyster Water Monitoring Program
- XXX, DEQ
- Bob Gasaway, Regional CVA Coordinator, USFWS or Bob Pacific, National CVA Coordinator, USFWS
- XXX, USEPA
- XXX, USACE
- Tim Trapani, Pumpout/Dump Station Vendor and Installation Contractor (or John Green, Green Marine, Pumpout Vendor)
- Mike Liffman, Sea Grant outreach specialist
- Paul Coreil, LCES outreach specialist
- Lynn Schonberg, BTNEP outreach specialist
- Diane Altsman, GMP outreach specialist
- XXX, US Coast Guard Auxiliary outreach specialist
- XXX, New Orleans Power Squadron outreach specialist
- Beth Hickey, Environmental Finance Center
Section 12:
Detailed Restoration Strategy Description
The Louisiana CVA Grant Program
is interested is expending all of its funds for
new pumpout/dump station installation, operation
and maintenance, and public education and outreach
efforts. A list of preliminary ideas for the Shellfish
Challenge Project to assist the Program in this
goal follows. If this project is selected for
implementation, the Implementation Team could
use this initial list of ideas to develop a detailed,
strategic plan to implement this project (the
focus of the Implementation Feasibility Workshop).
Part 1 - Increasing the
number of pumpouts and dump stations in the study
area.
- Make the 75 percent cost-share grant available up front rather than as a reimbursement
- Identify a source for or provide the marina owner's 25 percent match money
- Identify a source for or provide funding for a concurrent sewage treatment system upgrade (or installation)
- Identify high-traffic commercial marinas, boatyards, fuel docks, and seafood landing docks for installation of pumpouts or dump stations; interview commercial marina, boatyard, fuel dock, and seafood landing dock owners to determine the feasibility of installing pumpouts/dump stations at their facilities (including all forms of pumpouts - fixed units and portable units on wheels, on trailers, and on boats)
- Cross-reference the list of marinas that put in recycled oil containers (open to the general public) for likely candidates for pumpouts and dump stations.
- Increase personal contact (i.e., not just letters) and local level public education and outreach efforts with recreational and commercial marina owners to increase the number of Program applicants; use local entities, such as LCES, to assist such contact; there is a need to dispel misconceptions and distrust about the Program and the marina owner's relationship with the state and federal government in accepting the grant
- Identify locations to install pumpouts or dump stations where parish governments would be the grant recipient and responsible party for the pumpout/dump station (including all forms of pumpouts - fixed units and portable units on wheels, on trailers, and on boats)
- When a marina owner expresses interest in the applying for a grant, send a "team" to the marina to assist him develop the grant application in one half-a-day session.
- Assist the development of a "one-stop" permit for installing a pumpout/dump station to decrease logistics associated with installing a pumpout/dump station, e.g., fund a new DWF contractor or position to coordinate application for all permits for the marina owner
- Assist the development of a "one-stop shopping" system for pumpout/dump station installation (i.e., bid-out all installation work to one engineering company -- ordering the unit, obtaining permits, hooking it up, etc.)
- Change laws to require pumpouts/dump stations at marinas
- Change laws to require MSDs on certain size recreational and/or commercial vessels (there is a rule like this in the new model NSSP regulations that applies to oyster boats)
- Explore the use of a
pumpout service provided on a boat that visits
recreational or commercial vessels in the
marina or over/near oyster reefs
Part 2 - Increase public
education and outreach activities.
- Target education efforts on the Clean Vessel Act Program to field representatives of the permitting agencies (i.e., DHH, DWF, DNR, USACE) to make the installation process easier
- Use persuasive education efforts to combat misperceptions among the recreational and commercial boating and fishing communities about overboard sewage discharges
- Increase coordinated public education and outreach activities to general target audiences
- Use enforcement agents to disseminate information to oyster harvesters
- Use the Marina and Boatyard Association of Louisiana's quarterly newsletter (to 300 member and non-member marinas and boatyard throughout Louisiana) to disseminate information
- Use the services of
private pumpout vendors/installation contractors
to hold workshops on the need for using pumpouts,
available equipment, equipment demonstrations,
logistics of installation, etc. (for example,
Maritime Sanitation, Inc. has a "Potti Training"
workshop that has been well attended in Texas).
Part 3 - Increasing enforcement
of overboard sewage discharge regulations.
- Increase penalties for overboard discharges of raw sewage
- Define the exact facilities
vessels must have on-board (e.g. oyster vessels
with sleeping facilities must have OSDs)
Part 4 - Investigate on-board
sewage treatment technologies.
- Investigate the use
of agents to kill bacteria and viruses in
raw sewage before it is discharged overboard
(e.g., some airlines have added glutaraldehyde
to their list of holding tanks disinfectants;
it is a water-soluble oil that is highly active
against viruses, and available at low cost).
Section 13:
Education and Outreach Opportunities to Further
Project Implementation
Coordinate public education
and outreach efforts of DWF, USFWS, Gulf of Mexico
Program, BTNEP, LCES, LA Sea Grant, and local
nonprofit organizations into a comprehensive strategy.
Sources of Information
Written Materials
Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, Epidemiology Section. 1997. Louisiana Morbidity Report, Vol. 8, Num. 1, January-February 1997.
Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, Epidemiology Section. 1996. Louisiana Morbidity Report, Vol. 7, Num. 3, May-June 1996.
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Management Division. List of marinas in Louisiana from Coastal Use Permits database. September, 1996.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Socioeconomic Research and Development Section. 1995. Clean Vessel Act Grant Program: Louisiana's Survey, Plan, and Grant Proposal, June 1995.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 1995. A Guide to Marine Sewage Disposal Stations in Coastal Louisiana, brochure.
Louisiana Sea Grant College Program. 1995. Louisiana Marina Directory.
Kohn, Melvin A., et. al. An Outbreak
of Norwalk Virus Gastroenteritis Associated With
Eating Raw Oysters: Implications for Maintaining
Safe Oyster Beds. Journal of the American Medical
Association, Vol. 273, Num. 6, February 8, 1995.
Interviews
Buddy Pausina, LA Oyster Growers and Dealers Association
David Keyser, Marina and Boatyard Association of Louisiana
Tim Trapani, Maritime Sanitation, Pumpout Vendor/Installation Contractor
Jerome Zeringue, LCES, Fisheries Agent
Alan Matherne, LCES, Fisheries Agent
Jerald Horst, LCES, Fisheries Agent
Paul Thibodeaux, LCES, Fisheries Agent
Brian LeBlanc, LCES, Fisheries Agent
Don Lee, DWF, Wallop-Breaux Boatramp Program
David LaVergne, DWF, Louisiana CVA Grant Program
Brian McManus, DWF, Louisiana CVA Grant Program
Herb Holloway, DWF, Louisiana CVA Grant Program
Keith LaCaze, DWF Enforcement Division
Debra Berg, DHH/OPH Epidemiology Section
Ken Hemphill, DHH/OPH Oyster Water Monitoring Program
Ron Dugas, DWF, Oyster Program
Walter Keithly, LSU, Fisheries
Economist
Outstanding Interviews
Joe Tusa, LA Association of Coastal Anglers, 504-486-0677
Jeff Andrews, Coastal Conservation Association, 504-344-4222
John Green, Green Marine, Pumpout Vendor, 504-833-7386
Ted Falgout, Greater Lafourche Port Commission
George Barasisch, LA Commercial Fishermen's Association, (call Beau Weber, 504-464-7464, for number)
