For Immediate Release
Sep. 19, 2008, 10:11 a.m.
Kingston Marinas Awarded Five-Anchor Eco-Ratings
Ontario Marine Operators Association Give Both Marinas Top Marks
Kingston's Portsmouth Olympic Harbour and Confederation Basin marinas have each earned more than 95 per cent under the Ontario Marine Operators Associations' (OMOA) Clean Marine program garnering them a five-anchor Green Leaf eco-rating.
"We're proud that our environmental efforts have had such an impact and that we are able to assure boaters that they are docking in a Clean Marine-certified marina with the highest Green Leaf anchor rating," says Ed Leeman, Supervisor Facilities Operations.
Both marinas entered the Clean Marine program - which encourages environmentally friendly boating practices - with a three-anchor rating in 2002. Both marinas have since improved their environmental evaluation Eco-Rating Checklist scores by more than 25 per cent: Confederation Basin has earned 95.3 per cent and Portsmouth Olympic Harbour has earned 95.5 per cent (both earned 70 per cent in 2002).
GreenLeaf Environmental Communications independently conducts the environmental evaluations on behalf of the OMOA's Clean Marine program and the marinas score points on waste, dock and yard management, boat maintenance, retail operations, facilities, spill and emergency preparedness, training and education and other environmental initiatives. The program is also sponsored by Environment Canada, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and General Electric.
The Environmental Evaluation and Rating Report commended both marinas for their dock management and spills and emergency preparedness.
Confederation Basin is also a recipient of a Golden Broom Award this year, awarded by Downtown Kingston Business Improvement Area to businesses that go beyond expectations to keep the downtown area clean and litter free.
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Media contact information:
Ed Leeman, Supervisor, Facilities Operations 613-546-4291, ext. 1805. Or call the City of Kingston's media hotline at 613-546-4291, ext. 2300.
