Over the past year you may have noticed a number of construction projects taking place in the Boat Haven which are designed to improve the stormwater system’s ability to filter out pollutants that are created by boat repair and maintenance activities. These projects and on-going system maintenance efforts are part of the Port’s efforts to achieve stormwater quality goals set by the Department of Ecology. Meeting those goals is essential in maintaining the permit that allows the Port to operate the Boat Haven and to preserve the estimated four hundred plus jobs that the facility allows for.
In the past 12 months alone the Port has invested an additional quarter million dollars into enhanced filtration of the Boat Haven’s stormwater, a significant investment into the long-term operation of the Boat Haven. But without your cooperation even this amount of investment will fall short of meeting the stormwater quality goals and will risk losing the boatyard permit.
So we ask you to conduct your boat maintenance and repair work with great care in making sure that no pollutants such as airborne paint dust or scrapings leave your work site or make contact with stormwater. This can be accomplished with proper equipment and just a bit more time taken to properly tent or tarp work areas and to frequently clean your worksite. Your investment into good housekeeping will make it possible to keep the Boat Haven open for business.
Of other note, please be aware that the Port is making a slight revision to its used oil collection service in order to meet Environmental Protection Agency requirements for testing of PCB contamination prior to shipping the oil for recycling. We are consolidating the tanks to one location so that while one tank is closed for testing the other can remain open. Beginning in May, collection tanks will be located in the Environmental Center located in the 300 ton travelift area at the west end of the Boat Haven. The garbage dumpster that is presently housed in that Environmental Center will be relocated to the “C” dock Environmental Center.
We appreciate your business and we look forward to your assistance with keeping the Boat Haven alive and well.
Sincerely,
Larry Crockett
Executive Director, Port of Port Townsend