Are Marinas (like moorage at QCYC) next on the hitlist?

Nothing really prevents the same organization that recently filed suit against area boatyards from citing marinas, in addition to boatyards, as "polluters". While boatyards operate under a general discharge permit not specifically required of marinas, it's certainly true that in America one can file suit for any reason. Should the environmentalists choose to take that approach, each and every marina in existence in Washington State could possibly be forced to pay large "settlements" to the organization, or close.

Due in large part to lobbying by the same group that sued the boatyards, the benchmark for copper content of water allowed to run into Puget Sound, Lake Union, Portage Bay, or Lake Washington is a ridiculous 38 parts per billion (with a "b"). The amount of copper allowed in drinking water for human consumption is 1 part per million (with an "m"). There are of course 1000 millions in a billion, so drinking water certified safe for human consumption can easily contain 1000 parts copper per billion parts water.

If the environmental activists want to use the discharge of copper above 38 parts per billion as an excuse to file suit against boatyards and possibly marinas, all that would be required would be to locate any marina with drinking water taps on the docks. The moment any one of those taps is opened and the drinking water allowed to flow into the adjoining body of water the marina and/or the boater responsible for allowing drinking water to fall into the sound or lake has exceeded the copper discharge permissible under the boatyard Stormwater General Permit by a factor of more than 26 times.