NMMA Comments Re: OSHA Notice of Reopening of the Rulemaking Record for Walking and Working Surfaces; Personal Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems) (29 CFR 1910)

U.S. COAST GUARD ALERTS HOLIDAY BOATERS TO CARBON MONOXIDE RISK

Amid growing evidence that Carbon Monoxide-related illnesses, injuries, and fatalities on the water may be far greater than reported, the United States Coast Guard is asking recreational boaters to take special care during the busy July 4th holiday weekend.

USCG News Release

Engine Test MACT

On May 27, 2003, the EPA published in the Federal Register the final rule which regulates hazardous air pollutants from Engine Test Cells / Stands. The final rule exempts installed engines, which includes engines in boats.The rule does regulate new and reconstructed engine test facilities.

The rule does not regulate existing sources and defines reconstruction as a capital expansion of a facility greater than 50%. If a reconstruction is made as a result of having to comply with a mobile source emission requirement than it is not included as reconstruction. The final rule also defines outboard engines, coupled with the gear drive and propeller as installed, and thus not regulated.

For the complete rule, click here.

NMMA Fact Sheet: EPA Proposal to Control Evaporative Emissions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposal in the Federal Register on August 14, 2002 titled “Control of Emission from Spark Ignited Marine Vessels and Highway Motorcycles.” (67 Fed. Reg.53050, 11/14/2002). The proposal sets evaporative emission standards for boat fuel systems that must be met by 2006.

Comments Regarding Proposed Regulations for Personal Watercraft Emissions 6 NYCRR Parts 200 and 210

New York has passed legislation and proposed a regulation that when finalized would adopt CARB based exhaust emission standards for PWC. Click here to read NMMA comments, which support earlier comments submitted by the Personal Watercraft Industry Association, and request clarification. Several environmental groups have provided oral and written testimony to support the need for this rule to expand and include outboards. The enabling legisaltion does not authorize this and the proposal does not mention outboards, but stranger things have happened. Because the NYDEC has been openly discussing this, NMMA's NY attorney and lobbyist has advised us to submit these comments for the record. They basically demand that the regulation not stray from the legisaltive intent.

Plastic Parts MACT: Comments submitted to EPA Feb. 3, 2003

On Monday, February 3, NMMA submitted written comment to the EPA supporting its exemption for fiberglass boats in its proposed National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants. The comments also outlined the industry's objections for EPA's proposal to regulate marine engine manufacturers and PWC manufacturers under the General Use category. To read NMMA's commentsclick here.

Click here to read NMMA's comments

Fiberglass Boats Exempted from EPA Regulation; Other Plastic Parts Included

Fiberglass boats are exempted from Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) Emissions regulations in a rulemaking proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Dec. 4, 2002. NMMA comments support the proposed exemption for fiberglass boats, which is warranted for three reasons:

• Only a small number of boat builders use plastic-coating processes that contain HAPs.
• The level of HAP solvents found in such cases is often below EPA’s proposed limits.
• Beginning in August 2004, the National Emission Standards for Boat Manufacturing will regulate HAP emissions from boat manufacturing facilities.

Plastic parts and products that are included in EPA’s proposed rulemaking include personal watercraft, plastic engine cowls, composite drives and other plastic marine parts. To view the proposal in its entirety, visit http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/plastic/fr04de02f.pdf.

Click here to view the EPA proposal