WASHINGTON, DC, – The National Marine Manufacturers Association recently released a white paper updating their members on the upcoming changes to California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, also known as Proposition 65. While the primary obligation for complying with the law falls on the manufacturer, changes to the law that shift more responsibility onto the retailer go into effect in August 2018. Being out of compliance with Prop 65 opens retailers up to lawsuits from governments and private citizens, with potentially disastrous financial results.
 
According to law firm K&L Gates: Retailers have been frequent targets of claims by “bounty hunters.”  Existing regulations have attempted to place the burden of providing warnings on the manufacturer, producer, or packager, but the new regulations go further.  Unless they label their products, manufacturers, producers, and packagers must document that they have notified retailers of the need to provide warnings and provided all necessary warning materials.  Retailers are only responsible for providing warnings if they have been notified but have failed to provide the warnings, if they are selling “house brands,” or in other limited circumstances.

Questions? Contact MRAA Public Policy Manager Will Higgins for more information.

Inaugural Report Highlights Economic Influence of Outdoor Recreation Industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) today applauded the release of the first-ever government report recognizing the outdoor recreation industry as a significant economic contributor to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Released by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)—the government agency responsible for reporting U.S. GDP—the report calculated the outdoor recreation industry’s annual gross output to be $673 billion, surpassing other sectors such as agriculture, petroleum and coal, and computer and electronic products. The report marks a critical step forward for the outdoor recreation industry by formally recognizing its economic influence.

“Today’s report affirms what those of us in the outdoor community already know – outdoor recreation has a far-reaching positive impact across the U.S. and our economy,” said Thom Dammrich, ORR chair and president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “As an industry, we are proud to generate millions of American jobs and be a driving economic force from coast to coast, and we are grateful that BEA and the Department of Commerce have decided to recognize that. This report is further evidence of the need for sound public policy that encourages continued growth in the outdoor recreation industry.”

ORR was formed in February 2018 with the merger of the Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable, a coalition of America’s leading outdoor recreation trade associations, and the American Recreation Coalition, an organization of recreation interests that has had a significant and positive impact on outdoor recreation for more than three decades. ORR is committed to advancing the basic elements needed to grow this vital economic sector, including sound and sustainable management of U.S. public lands and waters, and updating infrastructure and technology on those lands to create quality experiences in response to changing recreation preferences.

“This recognition of outdoor recreation as a significant sector of the American economy underscores the importance of the work that our members and thousands of other businesses engage in every day,” said Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “As we look to the future, we hope that this will serve as a reminder to our policymakers that the upkeep of our nation’s waters and public lands is vital to economic success.”

In addition to reporting on the outdoor recreation industry’s annual gross output, the BEA’s initial findings report that outdoor recreation makes up 2.0 percent of the U.S. GDP. More importantly, the outdoor recreation industry’s GDP has increased an average of 4.4 percent since 2012, significantly greater than the 3.6-percent average increase in the overall U.S. GDP.

“This is a welcome signal of the critical economic role outdoor recreation plays in the United States,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, ORR vice chair and president of the RV Industry Association. “We are thrilled to represent a rapidly growing industry that helps keep America’s economy strong and brings enjoyment to millions of Americans. Given the right public policies, outdoor recreation will continue to be an American economic engine for years to come.”

The full report issued by ORSA and BEA can be found here.

Washington, D.C. – Recreation industry leaders announced today the formation of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), a powerful unified entity that will provide a strong voice for outdoor recreation across America. The new organization combines the Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable, a coalition of America’s leading outdoor recreation trade associations, which was formed in 2017, and the American Recreation Coalition (ARC), an organization of recreation interests that has had a significant and positive impact on outdoor recreation for more than three decades.

The newly elected chair and vice chair of ORR spoke about the importance of the new organization and its mission. “Protecting, promoting and enhancing recreational experiences on America’s public lands and waters are core values for those of us who are privileged to work in the outdoor recreation industry,” said Thom Dammrich, ORR chair and president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “We not only have the most at stake when it comes to preserving outdoor spaces, we also have the most at stake when it comes to moving policy forward and providing visitor services that meet the needs of the modern outdoor lifestyle.”

“Outdoor recreation is rising in popularity and diversity,” noted ORR Vice Chair Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the RV Industry Association. “Consumer expectations have radically changed while public land and water management have not kept up with their needs. Because of this, industry leaders have searched for new ways to strengthen the collective voice of the outdoor recreation industry to ensure it remains a critical economic engine and growing pastime for all Americans.”

Joining Dammrich and Hugelmeyer as ORR officers are Glenn Hughes, president-elect of the American Sportfishing Association, who will serve as secretary, and Phil Ingrassia, president of the RV Dealers Association, who will serve as treasurer.

The transition will be guided by an expanded board of directors chaired by Dammrich. Implementation of programs and activities will be overseen by ORR’s new Chief Staff Officer Derrick Crandall, who had been president of ARC. Expanded communications efforts, supported by new staff resources, will begin by mid-2018. The ORR Board will announce further details as they become available. Most ARC programs will continue uninterrupted, including Great Outdoors Month® and Partners Outdoors, along with regular policy briefings and other communications.

The transition to the new organization began in early 2017, when the clear value of a more unified and focused recreation industry, advocating on behalf of a multi-billion-dollar industry sector, became evident. Together, industry leaders spoke out on the importance of the recreation economy and the basic elements needed to grow this vital economic sector, including: updated infrastructure to support quality experiences; sound and sustainable management of the nation’s public lands and waters; responsiveness to changing recreation preferences; and utilization of new technology. The industry delivered another unifying message: Public-private partnerships are essential to reduce the multi-billion-dollar maintenance backlog on public lands and to provide needed recreation facility upgrades.

In October, an unprecedented gathering of outdoor recreation trade association executives explored ways to meet these challenges and reached agreement on the following long-term objectives:

• Achieve recognition that outdoor recreation is a major economic player and that growth of the outdoor recreation economy is a necessary and bipartisan goal;
• Persuade the federal government to embrace a pro-recreation “culture change”;
• Increase recreational access to public lands and waters;
• Advocate for sustainable funding and increased usage of public-private partnerships;
• Boost infrastructure modernization and reduce backlogged maintenance to produce better visitor experiences;
• Continue to support responsible conservation efforts; and
• Encourage the next generation’s participation in outdoor recreation activities.

The participants concluded that the industry needed to unite even further to form the clear and leading voice for the outdoor recreation industry, setting the stage for the formation of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable a short three months later.

Boat owners increasingly request the installation of after-market or OEM-installed decorative lights on their vessels as accents on rub railings, for underwater illumination and other non-navigational locations. Many of these accents are blue or emit a range of colors including blue. State law enforcement agencies in several states are now enforcing laws which expressly prohibit the use of blue lights when underway. These laws were written primarily to prevent other mariners from confusing a recreational boat with law enforcement or other emergency vessels. In particular, law enforcement officials are concerned that rub railing and underwater illumination could be mistaken for flashing blue lights under rough sea conditions. The placement and intensity of accent lights that interfere with the display of navigation lights, regardless of color, may also violate USCG Rule 20.

In addition, USCG regulations and industry standards require navigational lighting aboard vessels to adhere to ABYC standard A-16 in accordance with specifications within 33 CFR 183.810 and 46 CFR 25.10-3. Safety Alert 10-15 issued Nov. 4, 2015 by the USCG Inspections and Compliance Directorate expressed concern that aftermarket manufacturers are producing and distributing navigational lights that have not been approved as required in 33 CFR 183.810. 

While some states have adopted USCG lighting standards that authorize only the use of white, red and green navigation lights while underway, some states have specific statutes prohibiting blue lights.  For example, Arizona RS 5-333(f) states: “No watercraft may display a blue light of any size or type unless it is either an authorized law enforcement watercraft of the federal, state or local government actually engaged in enforcement of this chapter or an emergency watercraft.” Wisconsin also bans the use of blue accent lights while at anchor or underway: NR 5.17 (2) states: No vessel may be equipped with or display any blue colored light or lamp unless the vessel is a patrol boat.”

MRAA stresses the importance of educating boaters of the use of blue accent lighting at anchor and while underway may be illegal and to check their local laws.

For more information regarding blue accent lighting, please contact MRAA Public Policy Manager, Will Higgins. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, in partnership with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) went to Capitol Hill yesterday to address Congressional Boating Caucus members and invited legislative staff for the annual State of the Industry Briefing.

The Congressional Boating Caucus is an informal bipartisan group of US Senators and Representatives formed in 1989 to advocate for the interests of the recreational boating industry.

Speaking to the group gathered at Russell Senate Office meeting room, MRAA President Matt Gruhn spoke to the shortage of qualified marine service workers, and the need for elected leaders to continue to ‘broaden’ their thinking about what education means in America.

“We need more support for apprenticeships and other technical trade programs, and encourage more people to make recreational boating their career,” said Gruhn. “We’re looking for support from Congress in creating more programs that support apprenticeships, on-the-job training and technical education, in general, as well as greater access to funding for employers and job seekers to gain the training they need.”

NMMA President Thomas J. Dammrich presented a report on the recreational boating industry’s financial rebound, or “long road back,” said Dammrich, since the Great Recession. With the economy doing well, sales are up and reports from winter boat shows are positive. He also shared ideas on what Congress can do to support this important sector of U.S. manufacturing. NMMA also addressed saltwater fisheries management as well as the issue over aluminum sheet imports.

As the boat owner’s advocate, BoatUS Vice President of Government Affairs Chris Edmonston spoke about the need for legislator’s support for recreational boating access, and specifically, the Water Resources and Development Act, which helps maintain the navigability of waterways by providing funds for dredging. Edmonston also spoke to the success of boating safety education in reducing accidents and fatalities, and the need to revamp US Coast Guard licensing to better address the needs of recreational boaters. “The current licensing system was never intended for recreational boaters,” said Edmonston.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, contact us at 763-315-8043.

As reported by the Washington Post and E&E News, the US Department of the Interior is planning to undertake a reorganization of its workforce and land management plans. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke states that the proposal is a major priority, along with reducing the $12 Billion deferred maintenance backlog currently looming over the national park service.
 
Zinke’s goal for this plan is to improve public land management and provide for greater levels of collaboration among interior staff, saying, “If you look at the way we’re presently organized, all the bureaus under Interior have different regions . . . and are not aligned geographically,” Zinke said. For example, a single stream with trout and salmon can fall under the view of five separate agencies, one for each fish, another for a dam downstream and yet another to manage the water, and each generates reports that often conflict. There’s not a lot of opportunity to work as a team.”
 
Under the proposed plan, Interior would divide the agency’s efforts into thirteen distinct geographically coherent regions throughout the US. The move will require the relocation of Interior staff away from Washington DC and other regional offices and into areas where they could better serve an assigned area.