State Parks Clean Vessel Act Grant Program funds $500,000 for pumpout projects statewide

OLYMPIA – Recreational boaters in Washington waters will have an easier time disposing of vessel sewage thanks to over $500,000 in new federal pass-through grants for recreational boat pumpout projects.

Awarded by the Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act Grant Program (CVA), the grants focus on constructing or maintaining sewage disposal systems for recreational vessels and supporting outreach programs that inform boaters about the location of these facilities.

Projects funded in the 2026 grant competition include:

• San Juan Islands – $262,215 to the Recreational Boating Association of Washington to develop a new Mobile Pumpout Program
• Stuart Island State Park – $150,000 for pumpout barge pile replacement at Reid Harbor
• Blake Island State Park – $48,635 for a new pumpout and redesigned facility
• City of Bainbridge Island – $27,187 for a pumpout replacement at Eagle Harbor
• Semiahmoo Marina Condo Association - $13,102 for a replacement portable pumpout

Grant recipients must provide a 25% match. However, a lack of matching funds isn’t a barrier for these important development projects. Washington State Appropriation funds were awarded to Parks “to assist facilities that might otherwise experience hardship paying the federal matching requirements.” These funds have helped cover nearly $500,000 in match for new development grants over the last three years.

In addition to funding new or replacement pumpout projects, the CVA Grant Program also funds the annual operation and maintenance of more than 100 pumpout and dump station facilities across the state. Last year, $511,000 in grant funds went towards annual operation and maintenance expenses of these facilities.

Adequate and functional pumpout facilities are critical infrastructure for recreational boaters to comply with the Puget Sound No Discharge Zone Law, which has been in effect since 2018.

Boaters can locate pumpout and dump stations across the state using maps available on PumpoutWashington.org, or by downloading the free Pumpout Nav app on the Apple Store or Google Play.

The Future of the Clean Vessel Act Grant Program

The Clean Vessel Act Grant Program is using a Recreational Pumpout Facilities Assessment to guide future program goals and priorities. The study was funded by a state appropriation for the 2023-2025 biennium and aimed to assess the waste infrastructure system statewide and provide recommendations that will guide investments in waste disposal infrastructure, boater education and outreach, and legislative engagement for years to come.

From a statewide analysis, several key regions were identified as needing new pumpouts or needing repair or replacement of existing non-functional pumpouts, including projects in the San Juan Islands which are funded in this grant cycle. The CVA Grant Program will continue working to support project sponsors in these key areas, alongside statewide efforts to meet boaters’ needs like floating and upland restrooms.

Beyond a focus on regions with high need, recommendations on program policy changes that would make resources provided by the Clean Vessel Act Grant more effective were also provided. The program will look at ways to reduce barriers to grant funding, improve educational campaigns in key areas, and increase collaboration with agency partners statewide.

The full Facilities Assessment is available on the Washington State Parks Website.

About the Washington State Clean Vessel Act Grant Program

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission administers the state’s Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Grant Program, which provides funding for the construction, renovation, operation and maintenance of sewage disposal systems serving recreational boaters and educational programs that inform boaters about the importance of proper sewage disposal. Federal grant funding is awarded to the Washington CVA Grant Program by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  through a nationally competitive process for all 50 states and U.S. territories. The Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act Grant Program also provides funding for Pumpout Washington, a public outreach program managed by Washington Sea Grant. For more information about the CVA program, contact Lydia Moorehead, (360) 902-8659 or lydia.moorehead@parks.wa.gov.