Comment Log Display

I write this letter to request that the California Air Resources
Board allow five additional years for implementation of the
proposed off-road diesel equipment emission standards that are
currently under review. 
 
The major issue with CARB’s proposed regulations is that the
technology that is necessary for off-road diesel equipment to be
in compliance with the rules is not available at a price that most
companies in the industry can afford. It is estimated that the new
regulations will cost the industry over $9 Billion to purchase new
equipment or retrofit their current fleets.
 
Additionally, CARB would impose a $5,000 to $25,000 fine for each
engine that is in violation of the regulations. Clearly, CARB’s
proposal will have a devastating impact on California’s
construction companies which employ nearly one million citizens in
the Golden State. 
 
The board’s goal in setting these standards is a noble one. All
Californians want cleaner air. In fact, California’s construction
industry has already begun to use newer, less toxic equipment to
achieve that end. Contractors in Southern California have
voluntarily replaced more that 1,000 high polluting engines,
resulting in a reduction of more than 3,787 tons of pollution
every year.  
 
Extending the implementation timeframe by five years will allow
engine manufacturers time to catch up with California’s
progressive air quality standards and help amortize the massive
expense of purchasing new equipment over a longer of period time.
 
Allowing five more years for implementation will save California’s
contractors from having to pass the extra financial burden on to
their consumers, and in many cases, save their businesses.