Alabama Boaters Environmental Protection & Responsibility 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the required distance from shore when discharging untreated sewage in Alabama inland waters?
- Discharge is never permitted in inland waters (Correct answer)
- At least 1 nautical mile from shore
- At least 3 nautical miles from shore
- Discharge is permitted if diluted with water
Correct answer: Discharge is never permitted in inland waters
Federal law prohibits discharging untreated sewage in all inland waters and lakes, regardless of distance from shore.
Question 2: Which type of marine toilet system is legal for use on Alabama waters?
- A Type I Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) (Correct answer)
- A system that discharges directly overboard
- An open-bottom holding tank
- Any toilet if the vessel is moving
Correct answer: A Type I Marine Sanitation Device (MSD)
A Coast Guard-certified Type I, II, or III Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) is required on vessels with installed toilets.
Question 3: What should a boater do if they accidentally spill fuel into the water?
- Report the spill to the National Response Center and try to contain it (Correct answer)
- Disperse it with dish soap to break it up
- Wait for it to evaporate naturally
- Only report it if the spill is over 100 gallons
Correct answer: Report the spill to the National Response Center and try to contain it
All fuel spills must be reported to the National Response Center (1-800-424-8802) and boaters must take reasonable steps to contain the spill.
Question 4: What is 'turbidity' in the context of boating environmental impact?
- Cloudiness or murkiness of water caused by suspended particles stirred up by boat wakes (Correct answer)
- The temperature difference between surface and deep water
- The speed of water current near a boat's hull
- Chemical pollution from fuel exhaust
Correct answer: Cloudiness or murkiness of water caused by suspended particles stirred up by boat wakes
Turbidity refers to water cloudiness from suspended sediment stirred up by propellers and wakes, which harms aquatic life.
Question 5: Which of the following materials is considered most harmful to manatees in Alabama coastal waters?
- Discarded fishing monofilament line and nets (Correct answer)
- Biodegradable paper waste
- Wooden debris from dock repairs
- Natural vegetation cuttings
Correct answer: Discarded fishing monofilament line and nets
Monofilament fishing line can entangle manatees' flippers and cause severe injury or death.
Question 6: What is the primary reason boaters should use pump-out stations instead of overboard discharge?
- Sewage contains nutrients and pathogens that deplete oxygen and contaminate shellfish beds (Correct answer)
- Pump-out stations are cheaper than buying MSD chemicals
- Overboard discharge clogs the boat's through-hull fittings
- It is only required in saltwater, not freshwater
Correct answer: Sewage contains nutrients and pathogens that deplete oxygen and contaminate shellfish beds
Sewage adds nitrogen and pathogens to water, causing algae blooms, oxygen depletion, and closing shellfish harvesting areas.
Question 7: Under Alabama and federal law, what is the penalty category for illegally dumping plastics into navigable waters?
- A federal criminal offense with significant fines (Correct answer)
- A minor civil infraction with a warning for first offense
- Only actionable if done within 3 miles of shore
- No specific penalty; governed solely by littering statutes
Correct answer: A federal criminal offense with significant fines
Dumping plastics into navigable waters violates the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and carries federal criminal penalties.
Alabama Boaters Environmental Protection & Responsibility 2
What is the required distance from shore when discharging untreated sewage in Alabama inland waters?