On Friday, August 3, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), along with more than 50 of its boat- and engine- manufacturer members, submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding a proposed rule that will likely result in the recreational marine industry's largest regulatory action.
The proposed EPA rule, officially titled "Control of Emissions from Non-road Spark Ignition Engines and Equipment," impacts boatbuilders, gasoline engine manufacturers (both outboard and inboard/sterndrive), personal watercraft (PWC) and jet boat manufacturers, and manufacturers of marine generators. Comments from a number of concerned industry representatives-including boatbuilders, engine manufacturers, marine trade groups and members of Congress-were received by the August 3 deadline and will be heavily considered as EPA weighs arguments on all sides of the proposed rulemaking.
"Based on the number of comments EPA received in reference to the proposed evaporative emission rule, recreational marine industry interests were very well represented," says John McKnight, NMMA director of Environmental Safety & Compliance. "This is critically important because state agencies and environmental groups who submitted comments to EPA urged more stringent emission standards. NMMA members were successful in reaching out to EPA on this issue, and NMMA is grateful for their ongoing attention and support. As always, the industry banded together and stepped up when it mattered most."
The rule, once finalized, will require new exhaust emission standards for all classes of gasoline-powered marine engines and, for the first time in history, impose evaporative emission standards on recreational boats.
To read comments submitted by NMMA and its member companies regarding the proposed rule, visit http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main and search for Docket ID EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0008.
