What Can Boatbuilders Expect Regarding Issues and Regulations in 2023?

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As a boat builder or boatbuilder supplier this webinar is a must for you! This session will address the regulatory issues and topics that are critical to planning, protecting, and preserving your business in what at times can be a difficult regulatory climate.

As of today, NMMA is closely tracking EPA as the Toxic Substance Control Act is being implemented and styrene will undergo a risk assessment in the coming years. Find out what NMMA, ACMA and SIRC are doing to prepare. California is also on our radar as changes to Proposition 65 labeling requirements for marine parts are changing. What does that mean for boatbuilders and parts suppliers? The USCG is also involved working with ABYC on several projects specific to boat design and will be presenting and available to answer any questions. . . . and back by popular demand, Jeff Wasil will provide an update on his IBEX 2021 Carbon Neutral Marine Fuels Combustion Engine and Electrification Presentation.

The issues covered in this annual IBEX boat builder session are fluid as with government regulation things can evolve rapidly, so rest assured if something new comes up that affects your business it will be added to the agenda.

With twenty years’ experience in emissions compliance, Jeff Wasil leads global marine regulatory development and is a key member of marine industry technical projects. Jeff serves as the Chairman of the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) Marine Engine Committee, Vice Chairman of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) Board of Directors, and is a member of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Engine Manufacturers Division Board.

John Schweitzer has managed regulatory advocacy and compliance programming for the composites manufacturing industry since 1989. Before that, he had ten years’ experience in polymer manufacturing, EH&S management, and research and development.

John McKnight is Senior Vice President of Environmental and Safety Compliance for the National Marine Manufacturers Association. With a government relations office in our nation’s capital he is responsible for the representing marine manufacturers regarding the environmental, health and safety legislative and regulatory issues that impact the industry.

His responsibilities have included a significant number of boat, marine accessory and marine engine related issues. Starting in the early 1990’s with the EPA’s marine engine emission regulations for outboards and PWC to more recent rules for more stringent outboard and PWC emission regulations, including the introduction of catalytic convertors on stern drive inboard engines and evaporative emissions on boat fuel systems. For boats he was responsible for leading the industry with the development of the EPA MACT standards and more recently Boat Manufacturing Residual Risk Standards. Basically, any marine related government-imposed manufacturing issue the industry faced over the last quarter of a century has found its way to his plate.

In addition to working in the marine industry, he spent several years working for Witco Chemical in the Corporate Safety Health and Environmental Affairs Department as Acting Northeast Regional Manager. Prior to that he worked as the Plant Environmental Engineer for American Cyanamid Corporation. John has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering Technology.

Clay Crabtree is NMMA’s director of federal government relations. In his role, Clay educates members of Congress and administration officials on policies impacting the recreational boating industry. Prior to joining NMMA, Clay served as policy director for the American Sportfishing Association, focusing on state and federal policies impacting freshwater issues. Clay also worked for a federal agency as a congressional liaison between members of Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services, and he served as an aide for Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), advising the senator on trade and budgetary issues. Clay is a native West Virginian and an avid angler.

Eric Johnson is an Engineer with the United States Coast Guard in the Product Assurance Branch of the Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety. In this roll Mr. Johnson evaluate reported safety defects and non-compliances and prepares Coast Guard action response and correspondence. Additionally he provides guidance on Federal statutes, safety regulations, and Coast Guard policy regarding recreational boat-building. Mr. Johnson is a member of various Standards bodies including ABYC, NFPA, SAE, ISO, and UL. In his free time Eric is an avid sailboat racer and Triathlete.