What's New List Serve Post Display

Please consider the following ARB press release announcing the
recent settlement with ValleyCrest Companies.  You can review
the release online here:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr022208b.htm .
Thank You
Dimitri Stanich
ARB/PIO

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Release 08-12
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22, 2008
	  	  	
Gennet Paauwe
916-322-2990
www.arb.ca.gov

ValleyCrest Companies settle for $65,000
California clean truck laws violated

SACRAMENTO - Earlier this month ValleyCrest Companies, of
Calabasas, Calif., settled with the California Air Resources
Board for nearly $65,000 for failure to comply with state clean
truck laws.

ValleyCrest neglected to properly inspect their diesel truck
fleet for excess smoke emissions during 2006 and 2007, resulting
in violations in the following cities: Cypress, San Diego,
Pleasanton, Sacramento, Fillmore, Sunol, Farmington, Sylmar,
Santa Ana, Redwood City, San Jose, Gardena, Aliso Viejo and
Modesto.

"Fleet owners are responsible for the maintenance of their
trucks - including annual smoke tests," said ARB Chairman Mary
D. Nichols. "Neglecting all or part of required maintenance can
have serious impacts on a company's profits and have a
detrimental effect on air quality and public health."

In addition to the penalty, ValleyCrest employees responsible
for compliance with the state's truck emission inspection laws
must complete training through the California Council on Diesel
Education and Technology. Emission control labels must also be
properly affixed to engines, and all applicable employees must
be instructed on how to comply with California idling
restrictions by February 2009. Finally, ValleyCrest is required
to submit compliance records to ARB through 2012.

As a result of the settlement, ValleyCrest will pay $48,656 to
the California Air Pollution Control Fund, established to
mitigate various sources of pollution through education and the
advancement and use of cleaner technology. This fund uses
compliance settlement fees to fund various pollution-related
research projects and related programs. Further, $16,219 will go
to the Peralta Community College District to fund diesel
technology education programs.

A decade ago, the ARB listed diesel particulate matter as a
toxic air contaminant in order to protect public health. Since
then, California has aggressively worked to cut diesel emissions
by cleaning up diesel fuel, requiring cleaner engines for trucks,
buses and off-road equipment, and limiting unnecessary idling.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and
protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and
considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain
health based air quality standards.



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