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Author Topic:   Texas MSD certification sticker

silentpardner posted 01-09-2014 04:59 PM ET (US)
If you are running a large Whaler with a head in Texas as I do, you will need to get the head certification sticker renewed this year to avoid hefty fines if your vessel is inspected. The link to answer all your questions on the details and to self-certify online is below, it only takes $15 and a little bit of time to avoid the fines.
I am sure their are other states where certification of heads in boats are required, but in Texas, the certification comes up every 2 yrs and is not related to the date you originally purchase certification.
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/field/cleanwatercert

Hoosier posted 01-11-2014 11:00 AM ET (US)
Interesting. I expect other states will see this as a way to collect $$ from their boating population. I read the Texas regulations and did not find mention of out of state boats needing to get certification if spending more than XX days in Texas waters. In Canada you have to comply with Canadian regs if you spend 45, or more, continuous days in Canadian waters.
silentpardner posted 01-16-2014 01:05 PM ET (US)

quote:
Interesting. I expect other states will see this as a way to collect $$ from their boating population. I read the Texas regulations and did not find mention of out of state boats needing to get certification if spending more than XX days in Texas waters. In Canada you have to comply with Canadian regs if you spend 45, or more, continuous days in Canadian waters.
In Texas, it does not matter what state or country your boat is registered in, your MSD has to be registered in TX if you operate it in TX waterways. It does not matter how long you are in these TX waters, if you are in a boat with a head and floating in TX water, you have to have the certification sticker. Compliance is mandatory.
jimh posted 01-16-2014 01:38 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the notice about this environmental regulation affecting anyone operating a boat in the waters of the State of Texas.
I noticed that the certificates always expire on Decemeber 31 of every calendar year with an odd number. That means if you buy a certificate on January 1, 2014, you will get two years of use from it. If you buy one on December 1, of 2015 you get 30-days out of it. I also see that this process of certification is "self-certifying that the MSD or pump-out station is operating properly."
This sounds a lot like a $15 tax on boats levied every two years, payable in advance, even if you only spent one day in Texas.
Whalrman posted 01-16-2014 05:12 PM ET (US)
I don't know of any towboat/pushboat that goes from La. into Tx. gets a sticker for their heads/msd. Companies just don't do it. This may stem from the fact that towboats are federally regulated/documented and the rec. boats are not. Could go one step further and say what about all the ships that go in and out of Texas, including the US Navy and other federal ships.
silentpardner posted 01-17-2014 01:33 AM ET (US)

quote:
I don't know of any towboat/pushboat that goes from La. into Tx. gets a sticker for their heads/msd.
Whalerman, all your concerns are addressed in the law.
You might be surprised to learn that just because you do not personally know "of any towboat/pushboat that goes from La. into Tx. gets a sticker for their heads/msd.", certainly does not mean that they do not do it. LOL
I do not know of any "towboat/pushboat that goes from La. into Tx. gets a sticker for their heads/msd." either, but, then again, I was simply posting for Whaler owners here, not trying to start an argument :)
Come to think of it, I don't know any towboat/pushboat operators AT ALL...LOL!
Jimh, These regulations only apply to boats with heads that can discharge effluent into the waterways. Porta-potties do not require certification. If your boat does not have a head, you don't need to pay the obvious $15 tax.
I certainly agree that this is a way to tax certain boats in Texas, but there has been huge problems with contaminated oysters from our bays in the past that was directly connected to sewage discharges. I am not certain that these discharges were from boats, and I suspect they were not, but this has had serious effects in our coastal economy when this has happened.
I am pretty sure you have similar regulations on the Great Lakes, probably should check to see what they are if you ever own a boat with a MSD operating up there. A porta potti system is always ok anywhere as long as you don't get caught in the act of dumping it where you shouldn't :)
Whalrman posted 01-17-2014 10:00 AM ET (US)
Hi, just trying to get more info for my fellow towboater about this when traversing Texas waterways.
jimh posted 01-18-2014 11:38 AM ET (US)
On our boat in the Great Lakes we carry an unapproved marine sanitation device, but we try to minimize the use of it by careful voyage planning and excellent training of all crew.

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Author	Topic: Texas MSD certification sticker
silentpardner	posted 01-09-2014 04:59 PM ET (US) If you are running a large Whaler with a head in Texas as I do, you will need to get the head certification sticker renewed this year to avoid hefty fines if your vessel is inspected. The link to answer all your questions on the details and to self-certify online is below, it only takes $15 and a little bit of time to avoid the fines. I am sure their are other states where certification of heads in boats are required, but in Texas, the certification comes up every 2 yrs and is not related to the date you originally purchase certification. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/field/cleanwatercert
Hoosier	posted 01-11-2014 11:00 AM ET (US) Interesting. I expect other states will see this as a way to collect $$ from their boating population. I read the Texas regulations and did not find mention of out of state boats needing to get certification if spending more than XX days in Texas waters. In Canada you have to comply with Canadian regs if you spend 45, or more, continuous days in Canadian waters.
silentpardner	posted 01-16-2014 01:05 PM ET (US) quote: Interesting. I expect other states will see this as a way to collect $$ from their boating population. I read the Texas regulations and did not find mention of out of state boats needing to get certification if spending more than XX days in Texas waters. In Canada you have to comply with Canadian regs if you spend 45, or more, continuous days in Canadian waters. In Texas, it does not matter what state or country your boat is registered in, your MSD has to be registered in TX if you operate it in TX waterways. It does not matter how long you are in these TX waters, if you are in a boat with a head and floating in TX water, you have to have the certification sticker. Compliance is mandatory.
jimh	posted 01-16-2014 01:38 PM ET (US) Thanks for the notice about this environmental regulation affecting anyone operating a boat in the waters of the State of Texas. I noticed that the certificates always expire on Decemeber 31 of every calendar year with an odd number. That means if you buy a certificate on January 1, 2014, you will get two years of use from it. If you buy one on December 1, of 2015 you get 30-days out of it. I also see that this process of certification is "self-certifying that the MSD or pump-out station is operating properly." This sounds a lot like a $15 tax on boats levied every two years, payable in advance, even if you only spent one day in Texas.
Whalrman	posted 01-16-2014 05:12 PM ET (US) I don't know of any towboat/pushboat that goes from La. into Tx. gets a sticker for their heads/msd. Companies just don't do it. This may stem from the fact that towboats are federally regulated/documented and the rec. boats are not. Could go one step further and say what about all the ships that go in and out of Texas, including the US Navy and other federal ships.
silentpardner	posted 01-17-2014 01:33 AM ET (US) quote: I don't know of any towboat/pushboat that goes from La. into Tx. gets a sticker for their heads/msd. Whalerman, all your concerns are addressed in the law. You might be surprised to learn that just because you do not personally know "of any towboat/pushboat that goes from La. into Tx. gets a sticker for their heads/msd.", certainly does not mean that they do not do it. LOL I do not know of any "towboat/pushboat that goes from La. into Tx. gets a sticker for their heads/msd." either, but, then again, I was simply posting for Whaler owners here, not trying to start an argument :) Come to think of it, I don't know any towboat/pushboat operators AT ALL...LOL! Jimh, These regulations only apply to boats with heads that can discharge effluent into the waterways. Porta-potties do not require certification. If your boat does not have a head, you don't need to pay the obvious $15 tax. I certainly agree that this is a way to tax certain boats in Texas, but there has been huge problems with contaminated oysters from our bays in the past that was directly connected to sewage discharges. I am not certain that these discharges were from boats, and I suspect they were not, but this has had serious effects in our coastal economy when this has happened. I am pretty sure you have similar regulations on the Great Lakes, probably should check to see what they are if you ever own a boat with a MSD operating up there. A porta potti system is always ok anywhere as long as you don't get caught in the act of dumping it where you shouldn't :)
Whalrman	posted 01-17-2014 10:00 AM ET (US) Hi, just trying to get more info for my fellow towboater about this when traversing Texas waterways.
jimh	posted 01-18-2014 11:38 AM ET (US) On our boat in the Great Lakes we carry an unapproved marine sanitation device, but we try to minimize the use of it by careful voyage planning and excellent training of all crew.