This is going to down right blow!
The following is text from the BoatU.S. Magazine January 2008, pg 6. (
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boatus/200801/index.php)
The millions of visitors to lakes and reservoirs managed by the Army Corps of Engineers may have to wear life jackets to go boating, if the agency's chief has his way. The Corps, which has jurisdiction over 456 waterways in 43 states, is currently contemplating mandatory life jacket wear for all boaters on their waters. Major General Don riley, Director of the Corps' Civil Works, is concerned that despite several decades of safety education aimed at swimmers and boaters, the water -related fatality rate at Corps facilities has not improved in the last few years.
Nationwide, the Corps has a 10-year average of 164 water-related fatalities a year. The majority of these deaths occur among swimmers outside designated swim areas, as well as from falls off docks, banks and land. Boating-specific deaths are approximately 42% of the annual water-related fatalities. The boating category includes deaths attributed to swimming from a boat, falling or fishing from the boat, nighttime capsizing, and capsizing in general.
At press time in late November, Corps staff was conducting research into existing state laws, enforcement capabilities and the effectiveness of education and outreach efforts. If the Corps decides to create a federal life jacket standard for its waters, the proposed change in Title 36 of the federal regulations would require a public comment period. However, if an individual district commander, leading one of the 38 districts of the Corps, decides to implement a life jacket requirement for all boaters in their own geographic district, they can enact this change merely by signing a statement to that effect.
BoatU.S. is part of the ongoing discussion with the Corps; if a comment period is announced, BoatU.S. will post the notice at BoatUS.com/gov.
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