Proposal would give regulatory relief to boat builders

摘要

The EPA is proposing to provide additional lead time for boat builders to meet the federal Tier 4 standards for engines used in vessels such as lobster fishing boats and pilot boats.In the proposal, the Agency explains that it has learned from industry that there are no certified Tier 4 engines with suitable performance characteristics for the vessels they need to build-specifically, high-speed commercial vessels that rely on engines that have high power density and rated power between 600 and 1,400 kilowatts (kW). The proposal would change the implementation date of the Tier 4 standards for qualifying engines from 2017 to 2024. This would allow engines installed on vessels to continue to meet the Tier 3 standards. Also included in the proposal is a new waiver process that would allow for continued installation of Tier 3 engines for certain vessels if suitable Tier 4 engines continue to be unavailable.