California passes new emissions registration requirements
By IBI Magazine
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into legislation a law that would require a dealer or buyer of a marine engine under 500hp to submit documentation to the state verifying it meets California emissions requirements. The new law will start on July 1, 2008. For engines over 500hp, dealers or owners will submit the registration documents on January 1, 2009. "The NMMA worked closely with the Southern California Marine Association (SCMA) to lobby for passage of this new law," said Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), in a statement. "This demonstrates a commitment by businesses and boaters to promote clean emission technology that will offer substantial air quality benefits to boaters and the public at large." The law is designed to prevent Californians from purchasing a recreational boat outside the state with a non-compliant engine in order to circumvent the new emissions requirement. The law excludes vessels originally purchased in another state by a resident of that state who moves to California, and can provide satisfactory evidence of previously having an out of state residence. The penalties for non-compliance under the new law are the same as the penalties for operating an unregistered vessel, which are set at a $250 fine.
(12 November 2007)
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