I checked my email this morning and here is the reply to the email I sent her yesterday. Dear Mr. Nichols: Thank you for writing me regarding the recent exemption made to an EPA regulation on the Clean Water Act regarding recreational boating The Clean Water Act was originally enacted in 1948, but was significantly revised in 1972. Part of the bill, which set out to improve water quality, required permits for ships known for heavy polluting, such as cruise ships, container ships, and supertankers. While the legislation affected all aquatic vessels, the EPA exempted small recreational boats. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals recently determined that the EPA was acting beyond its scope with the exemption, and required the creation of a new permit system by September 2008. We should be proud of the abundance of outdoor and recreational activities Ohio has to offer. Our state is home to the country’s eighth largest group of registered watercraft users, and the boating industry contributes $5.4 million in watercraft registration fees, $15.6 million in marine fuel taxes annually, and has an estimated overall impact of $2 billion dollars a year on Ohio's economy. Implementation of a new permit system has the potential to deter prospective recreational boat buyers and could also be harmful to the industry not only in Ohio, but across the United States as well. I will continue to monitor this issue in the months ahead and will keep your thoughts in mind as legislation regarding this issue moves before the Senate. Sincerely, Sherrod Brown
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