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Rancho Harvest, Inc. fined for diesel emissions violations Air
Resources Board

Release 09-98
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2009
    
Mary Salas Fricke
(916)-322-2825
www.arb.ca.gov

Santa Maria company fined $22,875 for emissions violations at
Salinas terminal

SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board last month fined
a Santa Maria, Calif., based company $21,675 for failing to
inspect its diesel trucks at a Salinas fleet center for
compliance with the state's smoke emissions standards.

ARB investigators found that Rancho Harvest, Inc., failed to
conduct diesel truck smoke tests in 2006 and 2007 at the Salinas
facility, as required by state law.

"Our number one goal is compliance," said ARB Enforcement Chief
James Ryden. "This violator immediately recognized and rectified
the problem, allowing them to avoid more costly fines."

Under the penalty, Rancho Harvest must:

    * Ensure that staff responsible for compliance with the
diesel truck emission inspection program attend diesel education
courses and provide certificates of completion within one year;
    * Instruct vehicle operators to comply with the state's
idling regulations;
    * Complete heavy-duty diesel engine software and control
technology upgrades in compliance with regulations;
    * Supply all smoke inspection records to ARB for the next
four years; and,
    * Properly label engines to ensure compliance with the
engine emissions certification program regulations. 

The California Air Pollution Control Fund, established to
mitigate various sources of pollution through education and the
advancement and use of cleaner technology, will receive
$16,256.25; $2,709.38 will go to the Peralta Community College
District to fund diesel education classes; and, the remaining
$2,709.37 to the California Air Pollution Control Financing
Authority.

Failure to inspect diesel vehicles can lead to an increase in
harmful airborne particles that Californians breathe. In 1998,
the ARB listed diesel particulate matter as a toxic air
contaminant in order to protect public health. Exposure to diesel
emissions can increase the risk of asthma, bronchitis and other
respiratory diseases.

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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