First Two Tennessee Valley Clean Marinas Receive Awards
July 3, 2002
Ditto Landing in Huntsville, Ala., and Gold Point Yacht Harbor in Chattanooga, Tenn., are the first marinas to fly a Clean Marina flag in recognition of their achievements in making the Tennessee River a cleaner place.
The designations were announced at the National Clean Boating Celebration held in Chattanooga last month. Flags were presented to Peggy Weaver, general manager of Ditto Landing, and Jeff Bryson, manager of Gold Point.
More than 40 other marinas throughout the Tennessee Valley are currently working to attain the Clean Marina designation.
“To receive this designation, a marina must meet all federal, state, and local regulations related to marina management,” said TVA Clean Marina Coordinator Linda Harris. “They must also implement a number of recommended practices to minimize pollution and encourage boaters to become effective stewards of the water resources.”
Ditto Landing is a public marina and recreation facility on Wheeler Reservoir operated by the Huntsville-Madison County Marina and Port Authority. Ditto developed and implemented a storm water pollution prevention plan and has an environmental policy that is included with each boat storage agreement. Ditto provides educational information and learning opportunities for boaters.
Gold Point Yacht Harbor on Chickamauga Reservoir underwent a complete transformation. Dilapidated piers and structures were removed along with noncompliant boathouses containing living quarters. A pump-out boat operated by the marina provides convenient, regular sewage management service for marina users.
TVA is the nation’s largest public power producer, and its power system is self-financed. TVA provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve 8.3 million consumers in seven southeastern states.
Media Contact:
Pat Becker, Knoxville (865-632-4660) or TVA News Bureau, Knoxville (865-632-6000)
