Maryland Clean Marina Certified in Cecil County

The Hances Point Yacht Club in North East is the newest Maryland Clean Marina certified by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The Cecil County facility earned the recognition after adopting practices from the Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook, meeting all environmental and regulatory requirements, and passing a mandatory site inspection.

“Working with boatyards, marinas and yacht clubs to reduce their environmental impact is very rewarding.” Maryland Clean Marina Program Manager Donna Morrow said. “We are educating boaters and making a practical difference mitigating and reducing pollution, right on the water. The department stands ready to assist other facilities interested in learning more about this important initiative.”

The Hances Point Yacht Club has a boat ramp, floating dock, nearly 90 moorings as well as a clubhouse and pumpout. Members can haul their boats for land storage and perform maintenance and repairs. With no staff, the club is entirely run by members and volunteers.

Board members Roger Karmes and Cloey Devlin led the certification process by compiling all necessary permits, records and safety plans. Additionally, they worked closely with other yacht club members to teach them about best practices.

“It was a challenge to educate over 100 boat owners why we needed to change things,” Karmes said. “However, once we explained the importance of keeping things contained and preventing pollution, our members have been more than glad to comply.”

There are now over 150 certified clean marina facilities statewide. These locations have voluntarily adopted recommendations set forth in the Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook and undergone a site inspection. The department re-inspects facilities every three years to ensure compliance with the program.

Maryland has the longest running clean marina program in the U.S.