Lawmakers in Maine are seeking to mitigate the damage caused by megayachts in the area's waters by introducing an "impact fee."
Under the proposal, yachts over 150 feet in length would be charged $10 per additional foot for every day they are docked, according to the Maine Wire.
The bill has the backing of both Sen. Rick Bennett and Rep. Grayson B. Lookner. Of the funds raised, 10% would be given to relevant municipalities, while the other 90% would enter a "megayacht fund."
This fund would be split in two, with half going toward harbor infrastructure and improving defenses against rising sea levels and the other half allocated for public infrastructure support.
"Megayachts in our waters have positive economic effects but also have externalities, taking up slip space, dumping refuse in our offshore waters, and carbon emissions," Bennett said. "By one estimate, if megayachts were their own country, they would be 110th out of 211 in carbon emissions.
"These vessels can easily cost more than $200,000 per week to operate, so the impact fees being assessed will be a minuscule cost to the owners. Funds would go to preserving marine infrastructure and public transportation, like ferries."
Megayachts and superyachts are playthings for the extraordinarily wealthy, and while they might cost a lot of money to buy, they also have a great cost for our oceans.
According to Oxfam, 150 new superyachts are launched every year. The charity estimated the average carbon footprint of 23 superyachts owned by billionaires produced the equivalent of 860 years' worth of pollution produced by the average global citizen.
That's not even to mention the disposal of yacht waste in the ocean, as detailed by Yachting Monthly, which damages fragile marine ecosystems — and then there's the potential of large vessels colliding with sea creatures.
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Definitely 👍 Maine's proposal is a step in the right direction, but since the impact fee is a fraction of what yacht owners can afford, it is unlikely to discourage polluting activity.
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