A pair of coastal senators -- including Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski -- are racing against the clock to extend an environmental exemption for small-boat fishermen.

Right now, vessel operators aren’t required to hold permits for spilling bilge water or deckwash if their boats are less than 79 feet long. But that waiver is set to expire next month. Legislation that would have made it permanent has stalled out in Congress.

That’s why Murkowski and Marco Rubio of Florida have introduced a one-year extension, to keep small boats from needing permits under the Clean Water Act.

The requirement stems from a 2008 court ruling. At the time, the Environmental Protection Agency wasn’t regulating the wastewater that vessels generate on a day-to-day basis. Advocacy groups argued the agency didn’t have the right to do that -- and a federal judge took their side.

As new regulations went into effect, Congress made an exception for small boats. Now, it’s set to end on Dec. 18.

That means the fleet would have to start carrying permits at all times. And they would have to conduct quarterly inspections of the hull, protective seals, and other spots that could leak.

Depending on the size of the company, the EPA expects vessel owners to spend between $300 and $2,000 a year to comply with the new regulations. More than 130,000 vessels would be affected across the country -- mostly fishing boats. Some tug boats, barges, and water taxis would also be required to take out permits.

The emergency extension hasn’t been assigned to a committee yet.