Maine lobster boat builder nets first clean engine waiver

A Maine boatyard is building what it says is the nation’s first lobster boat exempt from modern clean-air diesel rules through an EPA waiver program, a decision that could allow more diesel pollution in New England’s fast-warming waters. The vessel under construction at Wesmac Custom Boats in Surry, the Wesmac Super 46, will head to a Massachusetts buyer. It’s extra-wide and 46 feet, 9 inches long with a 17-foot, 1-inch beam, but cramped engine-room space prevents installing Tier 4 exhaust scrubber gear without removing the live lobster tanks. Tier 4 requirements began in phases starting in 2008 and force heavy soot- and smog-reducing controls, yet only engines above 800 horsepower must comply. As warming and climate change push lobsters farther offshore, fishermen seek higher-horsepower engines for longer trips. EPA began granting waivers in 2024 after extensions, but boatbuilders said the process was burdensome. Still, supporters argue waivers protect maritime jobs and keep custom yards in business instead of forcing older vessels to stay in service.