The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to tighten standards affecting air quality. In March, the EPA lowered allowable ozone levels from 84ppb to 75ppb; now its tackling some of most significant mobile sources that make ozone.
New gas-powered lawn equipment and boat engines including mowers, trimmers, inboard and outboard engines, will all need to comply with the new EPA standard by 2010 and 2011.
Garden equipment under 25 horsepower must meet the standard by 2011 while the full range of watercraft engines must be up to specifications by 2010.
EPA states that about 600,000 tons of hydrocarbons, 130,000 tons of nitrous oxides (NOx) and 5,500 tons of particulate matter will be thwarted from emissions while saving about 190 million gallons of gasoline each year.
These numbers are significant for Florence County - more so for the lawn equipment then the watercraft engines. Lawn mowers, blowers and trimmers pollute 25% more emissions than our automobiles. This improvement on these emissions will help with the County's ozone problem.
So, are these new regulations a good thing? You tell me!
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