by Russell Long
Bluewater Network
Almost two years ago, Bluewater Network began lobbying the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to regulate and reduce gas and oil pollution from two-stroke outboards and jet skis. The Air Resources Board - a division of California's Environmental Protection Agency - was established in 1971 to address California's tremendous air pollution problems. Given broad authority, over the past 25 years CARB has gone far beyond the Federal EPA in establishing the toughest emissions laws in the United States. CARB is probably best known for forcing auto manufacturers to build so-called zero-emissions electric vehicles in California.
At Bluewater's request, in 1997, CARB staff compiled inventories of total pollution coming from outboard motors and jet skis. The results were shocking. Among the findings: 125 tons a day of volatile organic compounds (mostly raw gas) emitted from these engines adds to smog throughout the state. More importantly, during summer weekend days when smog is at its worst, 500,000 two-stroke marine engines create more hydrocarbon pollution than California's 16 million automobiles. Direct comparisons showed that a one-hour ride on a typical jet ski creates more pollution than a typical American car does in a year. Furthermore, two-strokes expel 25-30 percent of their fuel unburned to the water.
As previously reported in the Earth Island Journal, Bluewater has sued marine engine manufacturers for water pollution under California's Safe Drinking Water Act, as well as the US EPA for crafting absurdly lenient marine engine regulations. As a result of the ensuing regulatory and media furor, two-strokes were eventually banned or restricted in Lake Tahoe and a handful of major reservoirs serving Oakland and San Jose, California.
Because these water districts were concerned about how to enforce their new regulations, Bluewater has designed a new multi-tiered eco-labeling program for all new outboard engines and jet skis. The labels will identify motors as, "low emissions," "very low emissions," or "ultra-low emissions." This will allow water district officers to inspect a motor for the appropriate sticker to make certain it meets that district's engine standard. Consumers can use these labels to purchase the least environmentally-damaging products.
Bluewater obtained an endorsement from the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) for this program, which resulted in CARB adopting the eco-label program as part of their proposed regulations.
US engine manufacturers - most of whom decided to build somewhat cleaner two-strokes instead of ultra-low emissions four-strokes - furiously opposed our eco-label program, as well as our proposal to require catalytic converters on jet skis by 2008. Bluewater spearheaded a coalition of fifty environmental, fishing, health, and recreational organizations lobbying on behalf of the proposed regulations in California while the marine industry fought hard against them. The final hearing on the proposed rule lasted over eight hours, as organizations and offices as diverse as Mercury Marine, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the office of Governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin, Harvard University, and the Sierra Club held forth before the eleven Republican board appointees. Predictably, the marine industry argued that if the rule passed, the economic sky would fall upon it, prices would rise, sales would plummet, and consumers would keep their older, polluting motors longer. Bluewater and our coalition members pointed out that clean four-strokes are already available and selling well, the companies making them prospering and gaining market share every year.
The final vote was unanimous in approving the new regulations - within a year, California will have its own eco-labels; by 2001, new California engines will be 75 percent cleaner than today; by 2004 "dirty" two-strokes cannot be sold in the state; and by 2008, new engines will be 90 percent cleaner than today.
The outcome is a terrific victory for environmentally conscious boaters and for clean air and water, and a disappointment for the marine industry, which claims it spent "millions" in public relations and lobbying fees fighting Bluewater Network.
It is indeed ironic that while some companies have invested heavily in lawyers, lobbyists and spin-doctors to maintain the toxic status quo, others have invested heavily in creating the cleanest possible engines. Bluewater urges all boaters to demand ultra-low emission four-stroke engines when they buy their next motors.
What you can do: Call your US Senator and ask for support of S 268 - Dianne Feinstein's bill to bring California's eco-labels and cleaner marine motors to your area. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
For more info, contact Bluewater Network:
Write: 300 Broadway, Suite 28, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 788-3666 x149
E-mail: <bluewater@earthisland.org>
Surf: www.earthisland.org/bw
California heeds Bluewater