MANY HIGH SPEED BOATS BANNED ON WEISS LAKE

Montgomery County Circuit Judge Johnny Hardwick ruled on Tuesday of this week, that the boat ban, passed by the Legislature in 2006, was indeed, constitutional.

The ban covers three Alabama Power Company lakes: Weiss, Martin and Harris, also known as Lake Wedowee, but the state Department of Conservation chose to withhold enforcement after a number of boat owners and a Jasper boat dealer challenged the law`s constitutionality.

State Conservation Commissioner Barnett Lawley, who oversees the state Marine Police, said Wednesday his agency will begin enforcing the law.

Lawley said the boats used by the Marine Police on Alabama lakes can`t keep pace with the high-powered cigarette boats, but the officers dont actually have to run them down, they only have to read the registration numbers on the boats in order to track down the owners for violations.

The legislation bans most cigarette boats by prohibiting boats more than 26 feet, 11 inches long, that are rated for speeds over 60 mph. It also prohibits any new houseboats and any new motorboats longer than 30 feet, 6 inches from being put on the lakes, but those already on the lakes can remain, provided they have sanitation systems to prohibit waste from being dumped into the lakes and are inspected annually. The ban does not affect sailboats.