Boating Law. Other States divide the responsibihty and authority between several agencies, 

 e.g., the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources of Kentucky has jurisdiction over 24 

 lakes that are owned and managed by the Department, while the Department of Public 

 Safety exercises control over most other waters. 



The majority of States have either adopted or are in the process of adopting State 

 Boating Acts. These Acts officially delineate the laws and codes concerning small craft and 

 navigation and safety standards that will be enforced in tlie State. Subjects normally covered 

 by State Boating Acts under the headings of laws, codes, or navigation and safety standards 

 are listed in Table 3. 



Many State general laws, codes, and statutes also bear directly on small-craft activities or 

 facilities, such as zoning laws. Many States are now zoning land areas adjacent to water, 

 including tlie water areas, with restrictions favoring commercial fishing, sport fishing, water 

 recreation, water conservation, and commercial development. Comprehensive land planning, 

 development, and management programs have recently become favorably inclined toward 

 establishing marinas as hubs for recreation complexes or parks. 



Most States rely on standard design and construction codes to cover the development of 

 small-craft marinas or launching facilities, although many States also adopt specific 

 standards to cover the special problems of these facilities. Hawaii, for instance, publishes 

 70 pages of regulations specifically for small-boat harbors. 



Ecological factors have become a major concern of most State -regulating agencies. 

 Stringent requirements concerning the ecological features of environmental impact 

 statements that are prerequisite to any construction project are not uncommon. State 

 agencies are also concerned with water quality, pollution prevention, and waste and sewage 

 disposal problems in marinas and other areas frequented by small craft. Even emissions 

 from outboard engines have come under critical scrutiny. 



In Florida, the Division of Marine Resources has as one of its primary goals the 

 minimizing of the possible adverse impact that marina and harbor development may have on 

 marine biological resources. Therefore, in planning for development, consideration is given 

 to protecting marine grassflats, mangrove fringes along the water's edge, and the 

 maintenance of good water quality in marina areas. In design, the division favors riprap or 

 sloping revetments over vertical bulkheads because they reduce wave reflection and provide 

 more area for attachment of marine organisms. 



Similarly, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission concedes that regulations covering 

 the construction of small-craft harbors and marinas are mainly directed toward control over 

 ecological factors, and has adopted very stringent water quality and pollution standards. The 

 State of New York requires a review of all marine engineering projects, investigates their 

 impact on the environment and on navigation, and requires provisions for sanitary facihties 

 and pumpout stations at all marinas. New York is also among the few States that require an 

 economic feasibility study showing a favorable benefit-cost ratio for all proposed projects. 



b. Assistance and Development Programs. The range in scope and degree of 

 participation varies widely between the States in assistance and development programs for 



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