In the face of rapidly changing and advancing technology like GPS, AIS, electronic chart display, cellular devices and the like, the fundamental navigation needs of mariners have changed significantly over the last decade. These changes have presented the federal government — including the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Oceanic and […]

Efforts to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard continue on Capitol Hill. The Congressional Budget Office just published a report on RFS that evaluates how much biofuel production needs to grow to comply with the program, as well as its impact on food prices, fuel prices and emissions under several different scenarios. The report addresses three […]

Talks on a new highway bill are gearing up in Congress as the all-encompassing Highway Trust Fund is set to expire August 1. The House passed an $11 billion bill by a vote of 367 to 55 to help keep the Highway Trust Fund afloat until Spring 2015. The Senate has yet to vote on […]

On May 13, the U.S. Coast Guard released its report on recreational boating statistics for 2013 and announced a new record low of 560 boating fatalities last year. The fatality rate per 100,000 registered boats was 4.7, down 13 percent form a reported 5.4 in 2012. “This is great news that confirms recreational boating is […]

Reacting to a recent boating accident in New York, Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) introduced H.R. 4642, the Boat Occupancy and Teaching Act, May 20. There are no co-sponsors and no action is currently being considered. The bill has been referred to three House committees: Transportation, Ways and Means and Natural Resources. H.R. 4642 would require […]

On May 29, the House Committee on Natural Resources marked up H.R. 4742, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, with a vote of 24 (yes) to 17 (no). The bill was ordered for report to the full House of Representatives for a floor vote, which has not yet been scheduled. […]

Today, President Obama signed H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Research and Development Act, into law. The WRRDA conference report was originally presented to the President for signature June 3. President Obama had 10 days to sign or veto the act, and on Tuesday, June 10 he officially signed WRRDA into law. After months of negotiating, […]

Since the creation of the domestic market for corn-based ethanol as an additive for gasoline, the federal government has nurtured and maintained the ethanol industry with a steady stream of subsidies. Originally sold as a way to achieve energy independence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ethanol has been a favorite issue of lawmakers. Ethanol producers […]

A new University of Nebraska study released April 20 in a publication called Nature Climate Change says eliminating ethanol as a biofuel can actually decrease soil organic carbon. The study claims cellulosic biofuels like ethanol actually generate more greenhouse gases than gasoline. As expected, the biofuel industry is speaking out against the Nebraska study, calling […]

The U.S. Senate voted 96-3 to open debate on a bill that will renew several tax breaks known as the Bush Tax Cuts, first passed in 2008 to help stimulate the economy. Several issues important to marine retailers are included in the tax-extender package, including a return to the $5 million exemption for the estate […]