Huntington Boaters Hit With New Resident Permit Fee—Here's Why

HUNTINGTON, NY — Local Town of Huntington boaters will join out-of-towners in shelling out cash for permit fees after town officials passed what they called a major initiative aimed squarely at irresponsible boaters. The Town Board last week signed off on a measure that would make those responsible for wrecked sea vessels liable for costs to remove, store and dispose of the boats.

But the measure also affected responsible boat-owners. A $40 per season resident permit fee was established to help cover costs associated with cleaning up pollution and remedying other navigational safety dangers. This means Town of Huntington boaters will join non-residents, who were already paying $200 per season for the same permit.

"As a waterfront community, our residents deserve to have our waterways, a precious natural resource, treated with proper respect for both the current and future generations," Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci said in a news release.

The town spent more than $50,000 in 2018 to remove "derelict and abandoned" boats, he said.

Lupinacci added that taxpayers shouldn't be liable for the mistakes of "irresponsible boat ownership."

The money will help fund a database to help identify the owners of abandoned boats in the town's waterways and hold violators accountable.

The measure, meanwhile, increases the mandatory insurance requirements for removing wreckage and pollution and lowered the cost of transient commercial mooring permits for local businesses from $200 to $40. Moreover, commercial fisherman who operate on Huntington waterways can now have their mooring permit included with the issuance or renewal of their commercial license. This will, officials said, make it easier for them to do business in the town.