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Regulatory Announcement: Change in Regulatory Deadline to Set Emissions Standards for New Marine Engines at or Above 30 Liters per Cylinder
EPA420-F-07-067, November 2007
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is publishing a 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 Dec. 17, 2009.
Overview
EPA issued a final rule in January 2003 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. This rule schedule was intended to allow time to consider the state of technology that might permit greater emission reductions and the status of international action for more stringent standards.
We have worked with industry and other stakeholders since 2003 to gain a greater understanding of the issues described in the final rule and to assess the continuing 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 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 emission standards for Category 3 marine diesel engines is only now becoming available. We promulgated a direct final rule (and an accompanying proposal) in April 2007 that extended this deadline to Dec. 17, 2009. We received adverse comment on that direct final rule and subsequently withdrew it. We reviewed these comments, but concluded that the best course was to continue with the initial plan to adopt a new regulatory deadline of Dec. 17, 2009. We are simultaneously publishing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking as part of this new regulatory development process.
For More Information
You can access the rule and related documents on EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality Web site at:
For more information, please contact the Assessment and Standards Division at asdinfo@epa.gov, 734-214-4636, or:
Assessment and Standards Division
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2000 Traverwood Dr.
Ann Arbor, MI 48105