Outboard Legislation
Kevin Buffington (bk618@earthlink.net)
Thu Jun 04 02:00:24 1998
FYI
Here's what's happening re: outboard usage on lakes ans rivers in
California. Status: Passed the first three readings.
-Kevin Buffington
Skipper
SES 618
Redondo Beach, CA.
AB 2439
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 28, 1998
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND TOXIC MATERIALS
Howard Wayne, Chair
AB 2439 (Bowen) - As Amended: April 13, 1998
SUBJECT : Water supplies: discharges.
SUMMARY : This bill excludes, beginning June 1, 1999, the use of
watercraft propelled by a two-stroke engine with more than 10
horsepower from recreational uses in lakes or reservoirs serving
as sources of drinking water.
EXISTING LAW : Allows water agencies to construct and operate
recreational facilities appurtenant to any lands, dams,
reservoirs, facilities, or works owned or operated by the agency.
At an agency's discretion, recreational uses at these facilities
can include the use of watercraft propelled by two-stroke engines.
THIS BILL :
1) Excludes, beginning June 1, 1999, the use of watercraft
propelled by a two-stroke engine that discharges unburned fuel or
oil, with a power rating greater than 10 horsepower, from
recreational uses on a lake or reservoir that serves as a domestic
water supply or that is directly connected to a drinking water
supply distribution and treatment system.
2) Exempts from this exclusion two-stroke engines with a power
rating of 10 or fewer horsepower or those for use in certain
emergency response activities, such as search, rescue, and
lifesaving.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
1) Background . According to the author, emissions from two-stroke
marine engines rank among California's largest sources of toxic
water pollution. The high emissions are due to the
inefficiency of the two-stroke engine, which requires fuel and
oil to be mixed prior to use, causing incomplete combustion. A
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.EPA) study shows that
approximately 25% of the fuel/oil mixture from two-stroke
engines is emitted, unburned, in the exhaust.
2) Two-Stroke vs. Four-Stroke . U.S.EPA certification data
demonstrate that two-stroke engines produce over eight times
the hydrocarbon emissions produced by four-strokes, on average.
Discharges to water by these motors include known carcinogens
such as benzene and toluene. While approximately 10-15% more
expensive, four-stroke engines on the market today are more
efficient, contain internal oil systems not requiring
pre-mixing with (and thus discharge with) gasoline, and produce
fewer air and water emissions.
AB 2439
Page 2
As two-strokes are one of the largest single sources of
unregulated toxic water pollution and a significant source of
air pollution, U.S.EPA, the Air Resources Board and other local
authorities are beginning to focus on
them for regulation. The author states that the primary goal of
the bill is to limit the discharge of unburned fuel and oil into
drinking water
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