Division of Boating and Waterways Now Accepting Grant Applications to Help Keep California\u2019s Waterways Clean<\/p>\n
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Top: Boater using a sewage pumpout in the Delta. Bottom left: Clean Vessel Act grantee conducting outreach at a boat show in San Mateo County. Bottom right: Boater using the California Pumpout Nav app. Photos from California State Parks.<\/p>\n
SACRAMENTO\u2013 California State Parks\u2019 Division of Boating and Waterways<\/a> (DBW) is now accepting grant applications for the Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Education and Outreach Grant Program.\u00a0A maximum of $360,000 of federal funding per targeted region is available to organizations for educating coastal and San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary recreational boaters about proper vessel sewage disposal and the use of pumpout facilities and monitoring pumpout and dump stations.<\/p>\n In 1992, Congress passed the CVA to help reduce pollution from vessel sewage discharges in U.S. waters. The grant program serves as an important educational opportunity for all boaters on how to help keep California\u2019s waterways clean.<\/p>\n Discharging sewage overboard creates environmental and human health problems. To reduce the negative impacts of this harmful action, all recreational boaters are encouraged to use sewage management facilities, including pumpout stations, dump stations, floating restrooms and mobile pumpout services.<\/p>\n The grant program targets two geographic regions of California:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary <\/p>\n Counties of: <\/p>\n
Alameda<\/p>\n
Napa<\/p>\n
San Mateo<\/p>\n
Sonoma<\/p>\n
Contra Costa<\/p>\n
Sacramento<\/p>\n
Santa Clara<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Marin<\/p>\n
San Francisco<\/p>\n
Santa Cruz<\/p>\n
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Monterey<\/p>\n
San Joaquin<\/p>\n
Solano<\/p>\n
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Southern California Coast<\/p>\n Counties of: <\/p>\n
Los Angeles<\/p>\n
San Diego<\/p>\n
Santa Barbara<\/p>\n
Orange<\/p>\n
San Luis Obispo<\/p>\n
Ventura<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n Proposals that cover a portion of the above regions will be considered if, within a year, the agency can expand program(s) to the entire region.<\/p>\n As part of DBW\u2019s commitment to provide clean, safe, and enjoyable recreational boating in California, the Division serves as the state CVA grant coordinator. DBW will fund two grants (one for each targeted California geographic region) to develop and implement a 12-14-monthClean Vessel Act Education and Outreach Program. Each regional grant must include education and outreach efforts and a pumpout\/dump station monitoring program. Applications will be evaluated and ranked according to how each application proposal demonstrates comprehensive and proven methods for meeting grant program goals. The deadline to submit applications is Monday, August 17, 2026, by 10 a.m. PDT.<\/p>\n Below are some recent examples of accomplishments from the CVA Education and Outreach grantees:<\/p>\n
The CVA Education and Outreach Program grants<\/a> are managed by DBW with funding provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund. If DBW does not receive federal funding, the award of CVA grants to local agencies may be affected. For detailed information on the grant program, the current grant application, requirements and a complete guidelines packet, please visit DBW\u2019s website at dbw.parks.ca.gov\/CleanVesselActGrants.<\/a><\/p>\n
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\nParticipated in three boating events and conducted nine presentations on clean boating and sewage pollution prevention best management practices, reaching over 700 individual boaters and stakeholders.
\nProduced and promoted a variety of educational videos about sewage management such as \u201cConsider a Marine Composting Toilet<\/a>\u201d video and the \u201cMarine Sanitation Device & Y-Valve Information for Boaters\u201d<\/a> video, getting over 23,000 views.
\nContinued to provide boaters with a sewage pumpout Nav App<\/a>(more than 30,000 downloads since March 2018) that helps locate nearby participating, functioning sewage pumpout stations, dump stations and floating restrooms.
\nMonitored 152 sewage pumpouts and 15 dump stations in 19 counties bi-annually.
\nDeveloped an annual Pumpout and Dump Station Performance Report summarizing the monitoring efforts and results.
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