Marina gas taxes aimed at boating safety at Lake Mead

Friday, Sept. 23, 2005 | 4:48 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

Sept. 24-25, 2005

Lake Mead can be deceptive.

Its waters can be calm and smooth when a boater pulls away from a slip at a marina. The waves can turn into a roiling, stomach-churning ride later in the day as winds whip the lake's surface into white caps.

With 8 million to 10 million visitors a year, and a dozen deaths and counting so far this year, safety at Lake Mead is a major concern.

But until 1986 a single volunteer known as "Captain" rescued hapless boaters, ruining two engines on his own boat in the process.

In 1987 boating enthusiasts went to the Legislature and asked for a 4-cent fuel tax paid by those filling up at the marinas to create a fund to subsidize efforts to educate and equip boaters for a safer lake experience.

The fuel tax inched up over the years until it reached its current 9-cents-per-gallon levy, said Nancy Bernard, program coordinator for the Park Service.

In each of the last several years the tax has brought in between $100,000 and $135,000.

The Clark County Boating Facilities and Safety Committees oversees the disbursement of the money in the form of grants to boating and sailing groups, the National Park Service and the Nevada Division of Wildlife for programs and equipment.

The committee began after 1986 after federal, state and local boating organizations became concerned about the number of drownings on Lake Mead, she said.

In addition to the Park Service, the Nevada Division of Wildlife, boating and water safety nonprofit organizations appoint representatives to serve on the committee. Also, one member comes from the general public.

After the committee recommends how much to give each group or organization for volunteer training and equipment, the County Commission has the final say on the funding, said Bill Wagner, who is in his second four-year term as chairman of the committee.

The county's finance department also tracks the funds, said April Turner, a management analyst at the county's Administrative Services.

"The marina fuel taxes are earmarked for boating safety equipment and programs within the borders of Clark County," Turner, the county's program coordinator, said.

The funding for the safety programs is collected at six marinas in Clark County -- Overton, Echo Bay, Callville, Lake Mead, Las Vegas Boat Harbor and Cottonwood Cove.

Organizations such as the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Las Vegas Power Squadron, the Nevada Yacht Club, Desert Valley Water Safety Council, Volunteers in Parks have received funding for programs ranging from volunteer boat patrols to GPS units, to wind warning systems, to loaner life jackets, to "I Got Caught Wearing my PFD" T-shirts for children on the water.

The County Commission approved the most recent recommendations of the boating safety committee in May 2005.

The National Park Service received $77,800, the Nevada Division of Wildlife got $9,450, the Las Vegas Sail & Power Squadron got $5,250, the Desert Valley Water Safety Council got $3,500, the Nevada Yacht Club got $4,641 and the Southern Nevada Sea Partners got $4,349.

The bulk of the funding each year usually goes to the National Park Service for towing services and training volunteers.

No salaries are paid from the boat gas taxes collected.

"All the people involved are volunteers," Wagner said.

The county is currently accepting grant proposals for the next round of funding.

Completed applications must be returned to Turner, at the Clark County Manager's Office, Clark County Government Center, Sixth Floor, 500 South Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, NV, 89155 by Nov. 17 at 1 p.m.