United States Air and Radiation EPA420-F-01-029
Environmental Protection September 2001
Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
for
In September 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to seek public
comment on our plan to propose more stringent emission standards for
engines on equipment including fork!ifts and generators, and vehicles
including snowmobiles, off-highway motorcycles andATVs, and recre-
ational marine diesel engines. This information sheet addresses common
questions we have heard from concerned parties.
is a
This proposal applies to diesel engines over 37 kW used for propulsion
on recreational boats. In general, this includes all vessels used "prima-
rily for pleasure," consistent with Coast Guard policy.
is at for
We already require emission controls for commercial marine diesel
engines; the recreational engines are capable of using similar emission
control strategies. Our analysis shows that recreational marine diesel
engines emit about 25,000 tons of hydrocarbons plus nitrous oxides
(HC+NOx) each year across the United States. These emissions help
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form smog and contain toxic compounds such as benzene, so reducing
them would benefit our health and environment. The Clean Air Act
requires us to set emission standards that address these problems. These
impacts are described in more detail in "FAQ: Environmental Impacts of
Recreational Vehicles and Other Nonroad Engines" [EPA420-F-01-030].
I
No. Engine manufacturers must ensure each new recreational marine
diesel engine sold meets our regulations. The proposed regulations
would apply only to new engines produced after a specified model year.
Anything manufactured before that model year would not be affected and
would remain legal to own and operate. We usually allow several years
of lead time between publication of a final rule and the effective date of
new standards. Thus, new standards for recreational marine diesel
engines won't affect the engine you bought before this year or any engine
you buy for the next several years.
As an of a
I do?
You may not disable any emission controls installed on your engine to
meet our regulations. Manufacturers will explain in their owner's
manual what type of emission controls exist for each model. Manufac-
turers may also specify some minor maintenance you must have done to
keep emission controls working properly over the life of the engine.
of is
We don't specify what emission controls manufacturers must use to
comply with the regulations, but we anticipate many manufacturers will
choose to meet them through engine calibration, fuel injection improve-
ments, and in-cylinder modifications.
will
Your cost for emission controls depends on the control used, manufactur-
ing processes, the size of the manufacturer, and other issues. With that
said, we do not expect these changes to increase engine costs by more
than two percent.
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will and
safety?
These technologies should not only reduce emissions, but improve
engine performance. None of the emission controls we are considering
affect safety.
I my
boat?
No. The proposed regulations don't restrict your use. They cover only
the exhaust emissions from your new engine.
Will
We are not proposing any new noise regulations. However, the technolo-
gies used to reduce NOx emissions should result in some noise reduc-
tion.
can I get
Keep an eye on our web page for marine diesel engines (http://
www.epa.gov/otaq/marine.htm) for more information and any develop-
ments. You may comment on the issues in this fact sheet or in the Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) by sending an email to
nranprm@epa.gov.
For further information, please contact Mike Samulski at:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
2000 Traverwood Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
samulski.michael@epa.gov
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