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 State of Alaska > Natural Resources > Parks and Outdoor Recreation |
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New KRSMA Motor & Boat Finalized Regulations |
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DNR Commissioner Tom Irwin has announced that on January 31, Lt. Governor Parnell approved the regulations that implement changes for boats and motors on the Kenai River. The new regulations that will be effective on March 1, 2008 will permit the use of 50 horsepower motors, as long as any motor that is larger than 35 horsepower is one of the cleaner burning four-stroke or Direct Fuel Injected (DFI) two-stroke motors. Additionally, all motors used within the Kenai River Special Management Area during the month of July must also be either four-stroke or DFI two-stroke motors. The proposed full phase out of all older two-stroke engines that was to go into effect in 2010 has been removed from the approved regulations. New Regulations Fact Sheet. In recognition that most of the hydrocarbon pollution problems have been concentrated in July, and that a good many Alaskans do not have the immediate resources to transition to the new cleaner burning motors right away, the decision was made to remove the date by which all older two-stroke motors would be banned. DNR plans to re-propose the year-round ban on older two-stroke motors with a 2013 effective date to give river users a longer period to complete this transition. In addition to the changes on motors, the approved regulations also limit overall boat size to no more than 21 feet long and 106 inches wide, with a limited provision to allow owners of larger boats to be permitted to use their boats until 2010. Commissioner Irwin stated: “The Kenai River is a tremendously important resource. It is critical to the personal enjoyment of residents and visitors, to the commercial and sport fishing industries, and to the economic health of the Kenai Peninsula. Any threat to the Kenai River requires our serious attention.“ Water samples collected over the last several years from the Kenai River show high levels of petroleum hydrocarbons during peak fishing periods. The levels of hydrocarbons have sometimes exceeded safe levels for fish, as established by state water quality regulations. Most of the hydrocarbons appear to be coming from unburned gasoline released from older, two-stroke boat motors, which are heavily used during the month of July's peak sport fishery. According to Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation Director James King, “It is important to note that these new regulations will only apply within the Kenai River Special Management Area that includes Kenai and Skilak Lakes and all of the Kenai River except for the lower four miles. Those lower four miles are also critical to the health of the Kenai River’s fishery resources. We encourage the Alaska Board of Fish to take appropriate action in their current meeting to adopt similar protection for water quality in that lower four mile stretch of the River.” Those state agencies with primary responsibilities for the health of the Kenai River will continue to monitor the river to see that the transition to the cleaner-burning motors is having the result we all want – a clean, healthy river environment. |
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Last updated on Monday, 21-Sep-2009 11:38:54 AKDT.
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