EPA is issuing a weak final rule to limit nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from new marine diesel engines in large ships and tankers. The standards are equivalent to those contained in a previous international agreement, which manufacturers are already meeting, and are not expected to have much effect. Initially, EPA favored taking stronger action, but OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs blocked this effort in its review of the agency’s proposed rule. The EPA standards fail to address harmful large vessel emissions such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter and do not apply to foreign ships entering U.S. ports -- which account for 95 percent of all calls made to U.S. ports, according to Environmental Defense. Instead, the final rule merely alludes to a future rulemaking to address foreign ships. The rule, signed by EPA administrator Christie Whitman on January 31, will apply to engines built on or after January 1, 2004.