North Carolina Boatbuilders Flock to Florida for IBEX
Walking the aisles of the IBEX trade show was a neighborly experience for hundreds of NC boat trades men and women. This show has taken on a “must attend” status, as many of our builders are feeling forced into finding and/or pricing new products and materials, due to both supply problems and new regulations. Another draw to the event was the over 80 seminars, workshops, and trade demonstrations. More than 20 NC companies exhibited, and a contingent of NC economic developers met with numerous non-NC product and material manufacturers in an ongoing effort to move them to NC for better service and pricing for our boatbuilding industry. Of further NC note, the lead article of the IBEX sponsor’s trade magazine, Professional Boatbuilder was a summary of incentives for boatbuilders by Mike Bradley that featured a sidebar by Regulator Marine’s Joan Maxwell.
NMMA’s Miami Show Delivers Information for Builders & Boating
Facilities
The Miami show is sell, sell, sell…, but in the background, the National Marine Manufacturers Association hosts numerous active committee meetings (in which NC business should have more presence) that study and report on real-time and real-world industry issues. The following is a summary of notable topics and issues:
Environmental
Committee:
Marine Engine Regulations – The EPA is considering a
two-tiered regulation that will first require gas Stern Drive/Inboard (SD/I)
engine manufacturers to install exhaust gas re-circulation (egr), with
catalyst systems to follow. In general, the introduction of catalysts for
either gas and diesel SD/I engines is hotly debated as the catalysts concept
for water/salt-exposed engines has potential performance, durability, and
safety issues that need to be addressed before rule making. EPA plans to
propose a rule in November 2000. Styrene Risk Assessment – NMMA has provided $50K toward a Harvard study of
styrene risk assessment that is earmarked for completion this summer. At the
heart of the controversial styrene problem, is EPA’s plan to update its IRIS
(Integrated Risk Information System) database by likely listing styrene as a
carcinogen. Although styrene is targeted by the EPA, historical data suggests
that it is most noted for its pervasive smell, but few, if any, direct ties to
worker health issues. By the start of 2001, the EPA must promulgate residual
risk standards for sources of hazardous air pollutants (carcinogens included)
that continue to pose a risk to health. The Federal Clean Air Act Amendments
(Federal air toxics program) will require businesses generating all major
sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) listed in the Amendments, including
styrene, to install maximum achievable control technology (MACT) in order to
control HAPs from most sources. The composite boatbuilding industry will be
directly affected by any rules developed.
(See next issue). For a through look at this styrene issue, visit the
Styrene Information and Research Center website at http://www.styrene.org/. Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) – The NMMA has been informed that a proposed boatbuilding rule is scheduled for May 2000, with final rule by May 2001 and implementation within two to three years following final rule. This rule will impact the use of Production Resins, Pigmented Gel Coats, Base Coat Gel Coat, and may impact Skin Coats, Tooling Resin, and Tooling Gel Coats, and possibly HAP-based Solvents for equipment cleaning. To see the North Carolina Interim Emission Estimating Procedures for Fiberglass Boat Manufacturing, read the letter written to NMMA’s John McKnight in November of 1998 found at the following web site; http://daq.state.nc.us/Offices/Planning/Attainment/boatfibre.html. Ergonomics Safety and Health Management; Proposed
Rule (64FR65768-66078, November 23, 1999) – This OSHA issue has already stirred much
debate and consternation in North Carolina, which is attempting to establish
its own rules prior to Federal rules. The basis of this controversy for our
marine industry, is that recreational boat builders have been lumped together
with ship builders under this worker-safety set of regulations. In addition,
many industry representatives believe the proposed rule provides for a Work
Restriction Program (WRP) or compensation plan that would be too costly, and
would provide an economic incentive for frivolous and fraudulent claims.
Finally, the proposed plan is just too vague to be applied or enforced. NMMA
has had extensive help from Grady-White’s Doug Hoffman on this topic and has
the support of the NC Marine Trade Association. This is rapidly moving and
active issue. It will apply to all boatbuilding businesses employing 10 or
more.
National Guidance for Marinas and Recreational
Boating –
This nearly 200-page working draft document has been put out by the EPA to
assist coastal and non-coastal states in nonpoint-source water quality issues
associated with marinas and recreational boating. The core objective is to
clean up our waters. The draft document is helpful and full of countless tables
with good BMP (best management practices) and examples. NC was noted as having
the first approved program. Each BMP is a stand-alone good idea and practice.
Unfortunately, there are hundreds of these BMPs that a facility could never
begin to apply collectively, and there is the bigger fear and risk that the
BMP’s could eventually change into rules. The true problem immediately identified by marine business owners reviewing this document is one of EPA priority. This boating/marina document is the first to be suggested for implementation, leaving the ones for Agriculture, Forestry, Urban Areas, Wetlands/Riparian Management, and Hydro-modification/Habitat Alteration guidelines unfinished and unimplemented. Since marinas and boating cause by far the least water quality problems of these designated non-point pollution targets, there was considerable debate on the timing of this document. According to EPA, for NC rivers and streams, “the major sources of impairment are agriculture (responsible for 53% of the impaired river miles), urban runoff (responsible for 16%), and construction (responsible for 13%)” For sounds and estuaries, “Agriculture, urban runoff, septic tanks, and point source discharges are the leading sources of nutrients, bacteria, and low dissolved oxygen that degrade estuaries”. Information found at: http://www.epa.gov/ow/resources/9698/nc.html. Next step is for final comments on the document. National Boating Week Event Takes Over IMTEC September 25-29 in Orlando – This is NMMA, MOAA, MRAA, IMI, and a slue of other marine trades organizations’ efforts to bring annual meetings, conferences, and symposiums together for separate and collective meetings, new product trade events, seminars, workshops and a traditional trade show exposition minus the major focus on boats.
Pending No Discharge Zones
and the Problems Created – This tenderly debated topic was discussed
in both the Environmental Committee and the Boating Facilities Development
Committee. In short, there are those who promote that all human waste generated
on boats should be stored and dumped into shore-side pumpout systems and those
who understand that boat-generated waste can be effectively treated to water
quality standards better than many shore-side waste treatment facilities. It is
an issue particularly problematic for larger boats and international boats that
have only Type I or Type II MSD systems. This debate and topic are not going
away. Stay tuned.
NC Boatbuilders’ Information now “UP”
on www.NCWaterways.com
Web visitors to our State’s
coastal boating, coastal tourism and trades website, www.NCWaterways.com can now find NC
built boats by name of boat, length, type, and city location of builder. This
effort is a part of our growing effort to promote NC built boats and boating
services, coastal boating tourism, and coastal waterfront communities that
support and provide for destination and transient boating activities. Take out
an ad promoting your boating products and services by clicking on the Advertise Here button. All revenues after Internet
expenses go back into promotion of NC boats, boating, and boating experiences. Next up, NC boatyards
by services, locations, boat haul-out capacities, and business name. Coastal
fishing tournaments and boating events will follow Boatyard information. Be
sure to respond to the marina/boatyard survey. Marina and Boatyard Survey 2000
Thanks to all marinas and
boatyards that have responded to our 2000 survey. If you have not responded
please do so. The information from this survey will be used in demonstrating
the economic importance of the marina industry, the public access provided by
marinas, and, in some cases, questionable regulations that overlap or have
negative results. In addition, we need to keep our database updated to ensure
you continue to receive information often critical to your business and its
operations. If you have lost the survey, please contact Wendy Larimer. As of February 25, Mike Bradley’s office will be located
in the Friends of the Museum offices, next door to the Maritime Museum in
Beaufort. The new mailing address is P.O. Box 406, Beaufort, NC 28516.
Have marine trades related question or problem? The NC Marine Trades
Services is a service of the Small Business and Technology Center and available
to all small businesses without charge. Marina related - call (910) 962-3351.
Boatbuilding and Boatyard related - call (252) 728-2144. The headquarters of
the SBTDC is located in Raleigh and can be contacted by calling (800)
258-0862.
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