To settle a federal air pollution case, RDI Marine has agreed to pay a $39,000 fine and replace or modify diesel engines installed on six Bristol Bay commercial fishing vessels.
More details in this press release from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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Wesley, please look further into this story. It has been alleged that a representative from a competing company pursued the EPA to levy these fines against RDI Marine or the fishermen themselves. Is this true?
A couple of comments; 1. I thought this law only applied to new builds, which boats were these? 2. We have been putting pleasure craft rated engines in these boats for years. Bristol Bay is not exactly a year round activity for which the "commercial" rating was intended, right?
Wow, I wonder what the boat owners will have to do? Hard to imagine a "modification" could be made to make them compliant.
The law applies to New builds but you also cannot repower a commercial application with pleasure craft rated engines...
Lots of times the only difference between commercial and pleasure craft is HP, so the engines will have to be derated to the Commercial application rating.
Only problem is that MAN does not sell a "commercial" rating for this engine (R6-730/800 HP). Nothing to derate to, unless they work up a custom tune from the factory.
It seems like this is more formality than anything else. Pay the dues to place the commercial rating sticker to your engine and you gain access to the marketplace. It's as petty as getting ticketed for expired license plate tabs. The technology between a "pleasure craft" engine and a "commercial" engine is no different. Within the last 2-4 years, all these engines have been well within Tier III standards, sticker or no sticker.
There is a EPA personal use exemption , go to this site and see if you qualify:
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4fa1f91c4dc6dd76793990e289515704&node=40:34.0.1.1.6.7.1.7&rgn=div8
I hope this works for many of you!!
Anyone else need further proof of a government agency out of control? Who cares if you put in a pleasure rated or commercial rated engine. All you end up with is voiding the manufacture warranty. I remember when this was a personal choice not a government mandate.
This is related to the emissions rating for the engines, not the warranty/HP rating. All related to new Tier II and Tier III emissions standards.
The 730/800 has now been certified by MAN-EPA for commercial use(tier 3)with no change to the engine. Check with RDI on that. No changes are required to the engine. It was a paperwork/certification problem. MAN did not seek commercial certification for the engine until it was shown to be a desired install for that market.
A rep from a competing engine company did in fact take the issue to the EPA.
Sounds like a good solution for all involved!
Has anyone heard more information on this? were these new builds or re-powers? has anyone heard if or when they will be enforcing the tier2 or tier3 on re-powers?
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