City asks for help standardizing boat fuel tanks

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- City officials have urged their congressmen to

introduce legislation requiring boat manufacturers to use standardized

tank inlets to reduce fuel spills in the harbor.

In a letter dated Dec. 15, Councilman Tod Ridgeway asked Rep. Chris

Cox (R-Newport Beach) and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) to

assist the city in its efforts to prevent pollution.

“Unlike gas tank inlets for cars, there does not appear to be an

industrywide standard for the inlet style and size for boat tanks,” the

letter reads. “Unfortunately, a poor connection between the tanks and the

gas hose nozzles can cause serious fuel spills that pollute significant

portions of our Bay.”

Should boat manufacturing standards fall under the domain of the U.S.

Coast Guard or another federal agency, Ridgeway asked the legislators to

help investigate the issue.

But if Congress were responsible for imposing new standards, “we urge

you to consider introducing legislation -- or encouraging an

administrative order -- that would apply these uniform standards to all

newly manufactured boats in as soon a time as is practicable,” the letter

continued.

Cox and Rohrabacher, as well as operators for Newport Beach’s fueling

docks, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Ridgeway said Tuesday that an increase in complaints about fuel spills

had prompted the move.

“It’s probably a bigger problem than we suspect,” said Deputy City

Manager Dave Kiff, adding that three main fueling docks exist in the

harbor. “We’re trying to look at a way that would prevent [fuel]

leakage.”

While tracing a spill to a boat isn’t always easy, those patrolling

the harbor said they take negligent behavior seriously and pass the cases

on to the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

“We’re fairly successful in gaining restitution from whoever pollutes

the harbor,” said Capt. Marty Kasules, the harbor master for the Orange

County Sherif’s Harbor Patrol Department.

Kasules added that patrol officers try to contain spills with booms

whenever possible.

But getting fuel spills cleaned up is the boat owner’s responsibility,

he said, adding that companies can charge thousands of dollars to remove

the fuel.