ARB Curbs Diesel Emissions Rules

In mid-December, before the holidays, the California Air Resources Board took further steps to tweak its controversial emissions standards for off-highway diesel engine fleets, aimed at contractors who use all types of construction equipment. The state announced it was making its regulations more flexible for businesses, fighting air pollution and protecting public health by offering a variety of options to comply with regulations to reduce soot from diesel engines.

“No other state and no other nation has such an extensive set of rules to slash pollution from diesel engines,” said ARB chairman Mary D. Nichols. “The diesel rules for vehicles cover almost everything that moves on or off the road, from trucks and buses to off-road construction equipment, and over the next 12 years they will prevent 3,900 premature deaths by removing thousands of tons of diesel soot from the air we breathe. The changes we set in place today will continue those public health benefits while reducing the cost of compliance by more than 60 percent.”

The amendments complement earlier emission control measures that aggressively target diesel pollution, which is associated with a host of health ailments including cancer. With the amended regulations in place, diesel particulate matter emissions will be reduced from today’s levels by 50 percent by 2014 and 70 percent by 2020. Over the past year, ARB staff held 20 public workshops throughout the state to solicit stakeholder input and discuss options for revising diesel control measures affecting commercially owned trucks, buses, port trucks, tractor trailers and off-road vehicles, including construction and large-spark ignition equipment. 

Off-Road (e.g., construction equipment) Regulation:
First approved in July 2007, this pioneering regulation — the first of its kind in the nation — is aimed at reducing diesel emissions from the state’s estimated 150,000 off-road vehicles used in construction, mining, airport ground support and other industries.  The state’s economic downturn, which began after this regulation was adopted, heavily impacted this sector, causing emissions to decline primarily due to fewer pieces of equipment in use, along with reduced activity of the remaining equipment. As amended, the regulation will:

1. Delay implementation for all fleets by four years;
2. Reduce costs by 97 percent in next 5 years;
3. Expand or extend credits for businesses that comply before their deadline or have downsized;
4. And ease annual requirements to clean up engines (e.g., small fleets can extend phase-out period for oldest equipment over 10 years, from 2019 to 2029). 

For more details on the Off-Road Regulation, please see:  https://www.arb.ca.gov/ordiesel