Because of the technical complexity, the controversy over public health impacts, and the potential cost of controlling disinfection byproducts, EPA formed a team of state and local officials, water industry representatives, and representatives of consumer and environmental groups to develop a consensus on the rules. Emissions Standards Proposed for Marine Engines Working in cooperation with the marine industry, EPA has proposed the nation's first emissions standards for marine engines. Manufacturers would begin phasing in the new standards over a nine-year period, beginning with the 1998 model year. Older models would be unaffected by the new standards. HC and NOx emissions create groundlevel ozone, which can irritate the respiratory tract, causing chest pain and lung inflammation.
Ozone can also aggravate existing respiratory conditions such as asthma.
It is expected that the design changes necessary to reduce emissions will also improve performance and fuel economy, make starting easier and acceleration faster, and produce less noise, odor, and smoke. I don't think anyone in this country, whether environmental leader or corporate CEO, believes incremental steps will achieve the kind of future we all want. The 'Common Sense Initiative' attempts to achieve three goals. One is to eliminate the paradoxical problems that can occur when the agency focuses too narrowly on one pollutant. Another is to stop the traditional practice of making environmental policy in response to emergencies such as the Love Canal incident.