Jet Ski Ban Urged for San Francisco Bay
(Article from Yodeler
Fall 2000)
The Bay Chapter has recommended the ban of Motorized Personal Watercrafts (MPWs), commonly called jet skis, on San Francisco Bay, and has asked the Loma Prieta and ? Chapters to adopt a similar policy. The Marin Group introduced this resolution after that county banned jet skis from all waters under its jurisdiction. San Francisco has similar regulations banning jet skis. After the ordinance was passed in Marin, the Jet Ski industry sued to block its enforcement, and the Sierra Club, Audubon Society, and Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC) joined the suit as intervenors in support of the county.
In a related matter EAC is suing NOAA to adopt regulations banning jet skis in the Farrallones National Marine Sanctuary. Much of the sanctuary is already off limits, because of prohibitions on jet skis announced by the Point Reyes National Seashore, but NOAA has refused to finalize more widespread regulations that have been under consideration for five years.
The Bay Chapter urges Sierra Club groups and other organizations in the East Bay to propose bans on jet skis in waters under local and county control. Environmentalists need to join the campaign to eliminate the noise, water and air pollution from MPWs, because the Jet Ski industry doesn't intend to go quietly into the night.
What you can do: Ask your county or municipal officials to ban jet skis
under their jurisdiction. You can also contribute to the California Environmental
Law Project 302 Sycamore Street, Mill Valley, CA, 94912, to help with legal
expenses.