Comment Log Display

Vadnais Corporation has been in business for over 42 years.  We
employ over 60 people and we own 20 pieces of off-road diesel
construction equipment.

California Air Resources Board (CARB) has proposed an off-road
diesel regulations which will have a profound, negative impact on
our company, on many of our employees and on the Governor’s
laudable infrastructure bond projects.

Of course, like everyone in California, Vadnais Corporation wants
to reduce NOx and PM2.5 emissions from diesel engines. Many in our
industry have been replacing over a thousand old engines,
resulting, we are told, in a reduction of more than 3,787 tons of
pollution every year. 

We want to continue these improvements, too, but the technology –
the silver bullet – is not here yet:  Tier 4 engines.  Seven years
ago ARB said this was a 20 year program.  Now it is 2007 and they
still want all these massive changes done by 2020 – that’s not 20
years, and forcing changes before Tier 4 engines are available is
unworkable without massive layoffs and construction companies
going out of business – especially smaller ones. 

We must have five more years to allow pending Tier 4 technology to
become available and to allow us to build cash reserves to afford
such huge equipment purchases and retrofits.  Give us five more
years and give the industry another $200 Million in Carl
Moyer-type funds to be able to make these radical shifts.