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All diesel fleets in California must be regularly inspected for
compliance with clean air regulations. 

Release 08-84
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2008
	  	  	
Gennet Paauwe
(916)322-2990
www.arb.ca.gov

Bimbo Bakeries pays $305,000 in air quality penalties

Maker of Francisco and Oroweat breads, Tia Rosa tortillas failed
to inspect diesel trucks

SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board last week fined
Bimbo Bakeries USA of Fort Worth, Texas, $305,250 for air
quality violations that occurred in 2006 and 2007.

ARB fleet inspectors cited Bimbo Bakeries, part of Grupo Bimbo,
an international bakery leader, for failing to test their diesel
trucks for excess emissions at 58 fleet facilities around the
state.

"All businesses - including large conglomerates - that operate
in California must adhere to clean-air laws," said ARB Chairman
Mary Nichols. "Businesses stand to lose money, customers and
good will if they skirt air quality laws."

As part of the settlement, Bimbo Bakeries must:

    * Guarantee employees that are responsible for conducting
the inspections attend a mandatory class on diesel emissions
testing and recordkeeping and provide certificates of completion
within one year;
    * Provide documentation to ARB that the inspections are
being carried out for the next four years;
    * Instruct vehicle operators to comply with the state's
idling regulations;
    * Revise truck engine software with the latest Low-NOx
programming; and,
    * Ensure that all diesel trucks are up to federal emissions
standards for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled
with an engine certification label. 

Bimbo Bakeries paid $305,250 in penalties; $228,937.50 to the
California Air Pollution Fund, which provides funding for
projects and research to improve California's air quality, and
$76,312.50 to the Peralta Community College District to fund
diesel emissions education courses.

There are 900,000 diesel trucks that operate in California. The
ARB is working to cut the health risks posed by dirty diesel
engines, the goal an 85 percent reduction in diesel emissions
from 2000 levels by 2020. Diesel exhaust contains a variety of
harmful gases and over 40 other known cancer-causing compounds.
Exposure can cause cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular
problems as well as premature death.

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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