00HOUSE BILL NO. 66                                                                                                       
01 "An Act relating to the regulation of watercraft noise."                                                                
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1.  AS 05.25 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                   
04  Sec. 05.25.065.  REGULATION OF WATERCRAFT NOISE.  (a)  On the                                                         
05 waters of the state a person may not knowingly                                                                          
06   (1) operate a watercraft powered by an internal combustion engine                                                    
07 unless a muffler has been installed on the engine and the muffler is sufficient                                         
08 under normal operating conditions to muffle the sound level of the engine below                                         
09 a maximum sound level of 90 dB A measured 50 feet from the watercraft;                                                  
10   (2) give permission for the operation of a watercraft powered by an                                                  
11 internal combustion engine if the watercraft is owned by the person or subject to                                       
12 the control of the person unless a muffler has been installed on the engine and the                                     
13 muffler is sufficient under normal operating conditions to muffle the sound level                                       
14 of the engine below a maximum sound level of 90 dB A measured 50 feet from                                              

01 the watercraft;                                                                                                         
02   (3)  install a muffler cutout on an internal combustion engine used                                                  
03 to power a watercraft;                                                                                                  
04   (4)  operate a watercraft powered by an internal combustion engine                                                   
05 if a muffler cutout is installed on the engine.                                                                         
06  (b)  At the request of a peace officer, a person who operates a watercraft                                            
07 powered by an internal combustion engine on the waters of the state shall submit                                        
08 the watercraft to a sound level test to determine the maximum sound level of the                                        
09 watercraft under normal operating conditions.                                                                           
10  (c)  The department shall adopt regulations reasonably necessary to                                                   
11 implement this section.                                                                                                 
12  (d)  In this section,                                                                                                 
13   (1)   "dB A" means the A-weighted sound level measured in                                                            
14 decibels;                                                                                                               
15   (2)  "knowingly" has the meaning given in AS 11.81.900;                                                              
16   (3)  "normal operating conditions" has the meaning given in a                                                        
17 regulation adopted by the department;                                                                                   
18   (4)  "operate" means to navigate or otherwise use a watercraft for                                                   
19 recreational or other purposes;                                                                                         
20   (5)  "sound level" means the A-weighted sound pressure level                                                         
21 measured with fast response using an instrument that satisfies the specification for                                    
22 sound level meters adopted by the American National Standards Institute, Inc.,                                          
23 or a successor organization, except that only a weighting and fast dynamic                                              
24 response need be provided.                                                                                              
25    * Sec. 2.  AS 05.25.090(b) is amended to read:                                                                       
26  (b)  A person who violates AS 05.25.010(d), [OR] 05.25.020(b), or                                                  
27 05.25.065(b) is guilty of a violation, as defined in AS 11.81.900, and may be fined                                    
28 up to $50.