Against a backdrop of strict state and federal rules governing clean water in harbors, Tisbury town officials are wrestling with how to best provide comprehensive pump-out facilities in the Vineyard’s main port town.

In August of 2012, shortly after passage of the Massachusetts Clean Vessel Act, the town approved a regulation requiring private marinas to offer pump-out services to their customers. This summer, the Environmental Protection Agency approved a statewide ban on discharge in coastal areas, giving federal heft to the no-discharge policy.

The Steamship Authority has built its own discharge facilities, aided by federal grant money.

Pump-out services in Tisbury are currently provided by two town-owned boats and a station at Ralph Packer’s wharf. The wharf is connected to the town sewer system, and is the only land-based means of discharge disposal from boats.

When the 2012 regulation was created, a Jan. 1, 2015 deadline was set for compliance. Speaking to the selectmen at their meeting Tuesday, Tisbury harbor master Jay Wilbur described what he called a catch-22 scenario. The three private marinas in town said they had seen no demand for pump-out services, but the marinas have no facilities so logic might follow that there would be no demand.

The question before the selectmen Tuesday was how to enforce the town regulation. “There’s some leeway there to work with the marinas,” Mr. Wilbur said. “I feel like I’ve bent over backwards for about 10 years now to help them provide customers with pump-out [services].”

Selectman Tristan Israel said there had been an attempt to secure a grant for installing the facilities that was unsuccessful. He suggested having a meeting with marina owners to figure out a solution.

“They start to put something on the table and then maybe there’s something we can do,” he said, adding: “This has the potential to be a major headache in June and I’d rather have that headache now. Summer is coming.”

In other harbor business Tuesday, a detailed set of proposed harbor regulations unrelated to discharge was unveiled by the harbor management committee. A docking time limit at the south dock of the Lake Street landing, changes to outer harbor anchoring time limits and revised dinghy regulations are all under consideration. The proposals will be discussed during an upcoming public hearing. A date for the hearing has not yet been set.

Selectmen also heard a presentation from members of a town traffic planning committee. The committee has been working with the Steamship Authority to brainstorm solutions to Water street traffic congestion during ferry arrival and departure times.

Committee member Dan Seidman said the SSA has agreed to two major overhauls to the staging area. A second ticket booth will be built to quicken flow into the parking lot, and the rain shelter that runs parallel to Water street will be altered so two more lanes can be added to the pickup and dropoff area.

“The plan gives trucks a wider berth, which is part of the hang up at the entrance,” said Mr. Israel, who is also a committee member. He suggested that the rain shelter could be removed entirely, with a smaller one built in its place.

The committee will present the board with final recommendations next month.

Selectmen voted to move forward with plans to install solar panels on the town emergency services facility. Towns are eligible to apply for funding new projects with the Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative until Feb. 27. A design for the roof panels already exists, assistant fire chief Joe Tierney told the board.

The board also voted to authorize participation in the fiscal year 2015 community development block grant application process, administered by Oak Bluffs.