Jump to main content.

Regulatory Announcement: Change in Regulatory Deadline for Rulemaking to Address the Control of Emissions from New Marine Compression-Ignition Engines at or Above 30 Liters per Cylinder

EPA420-F-07-024, April 2007
Download PDF version formatted for print. (2 pp, 91K, About PDF Files)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is publishing a Direct Final Rule to extend the regulatory deadline for promulgating new exhaust emission standards for Category 3 marine engines. The deadline will move from April 27, 2007, to December 17, 2009.

Overview

In January 2003, EPA issued a final rule establishing the first U.S. emission standards for new compression-ignition Category 3 marine engines (those with a displacement at or above 30 liters per cylinder). This rule also set a deadline of April 27, 2007, for EPA to promulgate a new tier of emission standards for these engines [68 FR 9746, February 28, 2003]. This rule schedule was intended to allow EPA time to consider the state of technology that may permit deeper emission reductions and the status of international action for more stringent standards.

Since 2003, we continue to work with industry and other stakeholders to gain a greater understanding of the issues described in the 2003 final rule and to assess the ongoing efforts of manufacturers to apply advanced emission control technologies to these very large engines. In addition, we have continued to work with and through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) toward more stringent international emission standards that would apply to all new marine diesel engines on ships engaged in international transportation. IMO is an important forum for EPA to gather new information and data regarding emission control technologies, costs, and other information on Category 3 engines and vessels. IMO is also important because the majority of ships used in international commerce are flagged in other nations.

Due to the long lead times associated with the installation and assessment of advanced emission control technologies and to the delayed start of IMO negotiations for a new tier of international standards, much of the information that will be required to develop new Category 3 marine diesel engines standards is only now becoming available. Therefore, EPA is issuing a direct final rule to adopt a new regulatory deadline for the next tier of Category 3 marine diesel engine standards, with a final rule to be adopted no later than December 17, 2009. We intend to issue an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking within the next few months as part of this new regulatory development process.

top of page

Public Participation Opportunities

This rule is being released as a direct final rule. However, comments can be submitted under a parallel Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Comments will be accepted for 30 days beginning when the NPRM is published in the Federal Register. All comments should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0858 and submitted by one of the following methods:

  1. Internet: www.regulations.gov
  2. E-mail: A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov
  3. Mail:
    • Environmental Protection Agency
    • Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center (6102T)
    • 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
    • Washington, DC 20460
  4. Hand Delivery:
    • EPA West Building
    • EPA Docket Center (Room 3334)
    • 1301 Constitution Avenue NW
    • Washington, DC

top of page

For More Information

You can access the rule and related documents on EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) Web site at:

For more information on this Direct Final Rule, please contact the Assessment and Standards Division at:

top of page

This page is maintained by EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ).
For more: About Us | Get E-mail Updates | Browse the A to Z Subject Index.

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.