Livonia, Mich., – The Michigan Clean Marina Program announces four marinas are re-certified as Michigan Clean Marinas. The four include Howe Interlakes Marine in Indian River, Edward C. Grace Memorial Harbor at Elk Rapids, Algonac Harbor Club in Algonac, and Bouvier Bridge Marina at Fair Haven. The re-certification extends for another five-year-term through 2022. So far, 55 Michigan marinas have obtained and are maintaining this certification.
“We commend Howe Interlakes Marina, Edward C. Grace Memorial Harbor, Algonac Harbor Club, and Bouvier Bridge Marina for being re-certified as Certified Clean Marinas and for their continuation of following best practices,” MBIA Executive Director Nicki Polan says. “More boaters are becoming aware of the program and are searching out these facilities as places they want to patronize.”
The Clean Marina Program is a volunteer-driven effort to preserve and protect Michigan’s greatest resource: the Great Lakes and its connecting waterways. The certification process begins with a pledge to participate in the program, followed by an online course with an overview of the designation process and a review of best management practices. The facilities then conduct self-evaluations of their environmental practices to determine their strengths and weaknesses. After implementing improvements and reaching a certain level of competencies, the marina requests a visitation by a CMP consultant to evaluate the facility’s environmental stewardship. When the facility reaches established goals, they receive their designation.
MBIA encourages all marinas to seek out this certification. “It is not difficult, and there are both financial and environmental gains that come with this effort,” Polan states.
The Michigan Clean Marina Program is a joint program between the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Sea Grant and Michigan Boating Industries Association. For more details on the program and to see which facilities are designated Michigan Clean Marinas, go to: http://miseagrant.umich.edu/cmp/. For more information on the Clean Marina Program and the Michigan Boating Industries Association, visit www.mbia.org.
