The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is still on the war path

Despite what you may have heard elsewhere, the California Air Resources Board has not abandoned its effort to regulate PM and NOx emissions from off- and on-road diesel equipment. We and our industry partners have not stopped in our efforts to make sure those rules are sensible, achievable and affordable for our members. Want proof CARB is still on the war path? Attend one of the four "final" workshops starting in two weeks to roll out their new amendments to the Regulation for In-Use Off-Road Diesel Fueled Fleets (off-road regulation), the In-Use Heavy-Duty Diesel-Fueled Vehicles Regulation (truck and bus regulation), the In-Use On-Road Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Drayage Trucks Regulation, and the Off-Road Large Spark-Ignition Engine Fleet Requirements (forklifts). 

The workshops: 

Sacramento (will also be webcast) 
Thursday, September 30, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 
Location: Air Resources Board, Byron Sher Auditorium, 1001 I Street

El Monte 
Monday, October 4, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 
Location: Air Resources Board, Auditorium, Annex 4, 9530 Telstar Avenue 

San Diego 
Tuesday, October 5, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 
Location: San Diego County, Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway

Fresno
Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 
Location: San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, 1990 E. Gettysburg

CARB staff will roll out a series of relatively minor changes to the diesel rules: expanding the limited hours of use exemption, lengthening by two years the compliance extensions, and throwing in some "minor clarifying" amendments.

Here's what we will asking for: drop the NOx requirements entirely, delay PM 2.5 requirements until 2015 and expand the changes to additional diesel rules, including portable equipment and port/cargo handling requirements.

CARB Staff will also provide information on the "revised emissions benefits expected from the regulations based on the new regulatory proposals", which means they have figured out how to cover up their 400 percent miss on their old emissions inventory. Don't expect to see the staff proposals until 4:45 p.m. on the day before the first workshop or, like the last series of these meetings, an hour before the first workshop in Sacramento. You can check for links to the details here.  

Remember CARB is still enforcing several provisions of the existing rule, including: 
� Off-road reporting and labeling requirements; 
� Off-road idling limits and sales disclosure requirements; 
� Truck and bus sales and disclosure requirements; and  
� Existing requirements for trucks and buses utilizing the agricultural vehicle provisions and some two engine street sweepers.

Here's what's on hold, pending the new amendments: 
� On February 11, 2010, ARB issued a delay of the off-road regulation's retrofit and turnover requirements pending further notice. 
� The truck and bus regulation's reporting for early credits was originally required by March 31, 2010, but has been delayed until early 2011. Also, the truck and bus retrofit and turnover requirements (scheduled to begin January 1, 2011) will also be extended by several months.