We're updating our camping and moorage fees to continue providing great experiences for visitors amid inflation and rising costs. You will see a rate increase for camping stays booked for May 15 and beyond. Moorage fees will increase Jan. 1. Learn more here.
Clean Vessel Act Grant Program
Learn about grants for boating sewage disposal facilities, apply, and get reimbursement.
Grants available for recreational boating sewage disposal facilities
Does your public, private or tribal entity own or operate a recreational boating facility such as a marina, floating barge or dock? If so, you could be eligible for grant funding to build, renovate, operate and/or maintain a sewage disposal system. The grants are available through the Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Grant Program, which Washington State parks boating program administers.
What does the funding pay for?
CVA grants will reimburse up to 75% of the following:
Construction, renovation, operation and maintenance of stationary and portable pumpouts, portable toilet dump stations, floating restrooms and pumpout boats— used solely by recreational boaters.
This includes the cost of new equipment or the renovation of existing equipment, including pumps, fitting, lift stations, on-site holding tanks, pier or dock modifications, signs, permits and other miscellaneous equipment needed for a complete and efficient station.
Equipment necessary to hold and transport sewage to sewage treatment plants, such as holding tanks, piping, haulage costs and any activity necessary to get sewage treatment plants to accept sewage, such as installing bleed-in facilities.
Education that informs recreational boaters of grant-funded facility locations and about the environmental pollution from sewage discharge.
What's not eligible for grant funding?
Enforcement activities or activities that do not provide public benefit.
Construction or renovation of upland restroom facilities.
Construction, renovation, operation and maintenance of on-site sewage treatment plants (package treatment plants, leach fields, septic systems or other special treatment devices) or municipal sewage treatment plants for primary and secondary treatment.
What's required for grant-funded facilities?
Grant recipients provide 25% of the project costs and guarantee to keep the pumpout facility operated, maintained and accessible to the public for the full duration of the facility's useful life.
CVA-funded facilities must be open to the public where users have full and reasonable access during normal business hours.
An informational sign must be installed at pumpout stations. Information should specify fees, restrictions, hours of operation, operating instructions and a contact name and phone number for maintenance issues. The sign must also acknowledge the facility was funded by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program, through Washington State park's Clean Vessel program.
Signage directing boaters to the pumpout or dump station must be visible from the water. This sign must display the national pumpout symbol.
Pumpouts should be located to allow easy access and use by all boats using the facility.
Boating facilities may not charge more than $5 per pumpout. Fees must be accounted for and used solely for the purpose of maintaining a pumpout or dump station facility. Funding preference will be given to facilities that do not charge user fees.
What about ongoing operation and maintenance costs?
A separate five-year operation and maintenance grant is available to sustain a pumpout facility. This grant provides an annual reimbursement for up to 75% of the cost of replacement parts, repairs, sewage disposal and documented hours for staff labor spent servicing sewage facilities.
About Clean Vessel Act funding
Congress passed the Clean Vessel Act of 1992 to establish grant funding for the construction, renovation, operation and maintenance of sewage disposal systems serving recreational boaters.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers the national CVA grant program through a competitive annual process among all states and territories. Funding comes from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which is supported by excise taxes on sport fishing equipment, recreational boats and boat fuel.
In Washington State, the State Parks Boating Program administers the CVA grant program.
For more information
Contact the Clean Vessel Act Program manager at boatpumpouts@parks.wa.gov, (360) 902-8659 or
Washington State parks
Clean Vessel Act Grant Program
P.O. Box 42650
Olympia, WA 98504-2650
On
