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February 9, 2004

Anti-Personal Watercraft Legislation Thwarted
State Senate Decision Ensures Enjoyable Boating Season for Family-Size Watercraft

Contact:
Elinore Boeke, 202-721-1621
Brian Berry, 202-777-3524

Washington, DC—The proposed legislation that would single-out personal watercraft and potentially grant individual municipalities the authority to ban three and four-passenger personal watercraft was voted "inexpedient to legislate," on Thursday, February 5, subsequently tabling the issue for the remainder of the year. As a result of Thursday's vote, thousands of New Hampshire families who have purchased a personal watercraft (PWC) with the protection and comfort of the law can rest assure that their PWC will have a place on the water this boating season.

The Personal Watercraft Industry Association (PWIA) lauds the decision by the New Hampshire State Senate. The proposed legislation was crafted to appear as if its only intention was to remove the prohibition of personal watercraft (PWC) on Pine River Pond in the Town of Wakefield, but instead, it also discreetly sought authority to implement a patchwork of PWC bans throughout the state.

“This legislation was nothing more than an unfair attempt to ban the popular family-size, three and four passenger personal watercraft from New Hampshire waterways," said Christian Gullott, Manager of State Affairs for PWIA. "Families ought not be banned for choosing a more affordable alternative to larger powerboats.”

A decades-old law in New Hampshire has a unique definition of "ski craft" (vessels that require a user to straddle the boat's hull rather than sit within it) based on size and passenger capacity. SB 477 sought to amend the definition of "ski craft" to include the family size, three and four-passenger PWC models in the laws that currently restrict the use of the smaller, one and two-passenger models.

"We have seen similar legislation proposed in the State Senate in previous years," continued Gullott, "This year, however, was the first where they tried to disguise the wolf in sheep's wool. We are all very fortunate that at the end of the day, science and rationale has overruled the bias of a select few."

Sales and usage of three and four-passenger personal watercraft in New Hampshire have contributed millions of dollars into the local economy over recent years. Three-passenger models alone account for 75 percent of the total retail market nationwide.

Modern PWCs have evolved into one of the most environmentally friendly motorized vessels on the water today. The facts are clear and proven: Modern PWC, specifically the larger models targeted by SB 477, are among the cleanest, quietest motorized vehicles on public waterways today (with a 70 percent sound reduction and 75 percent reduction in hydrocarbon and NOx emissions since 1998). Current personal watercraft models already meet the EPA’s 2006 marine engine standards, achieving these emission reduction guidelines years ahead of schedule. Coast Guard statistics show that 99 percent of PWC are operated accident free each year.

More information on personal watercraft is available at www.pwia.org.

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-Quoted from www.pwia.org.