What's New List Serve Post Display

Sturgeon & Son, Inc. fined for emissions violations  

California Air Resources Board
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Release 09-106

November 30, 2009 
     
Karen Caesar
(626) 575-6728
www.arb.ca.gov 

Kern County company fined $14,500 for emissions violations 


SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board has fined
Sturgeon & Son, Inc. $14,500 for emissions violations during 2007
and 2008. 

An ARB investigation showed Sturgeon & Son, Inc., based in
Bakersfield, Calif., failed to properly inspect some of their
diesel vehicles, as required by California law. Failing to
conduct these inspections can lead to an increase of toxic diesel
particulate matter in the air.

"Diesel exhaust contains toxic particles that are dangerous to
human health," said ARB Enforcement Chief James Ryden. "Every
effort companies make to keep their heavy-duty diesel vehicles in
compliance with ARB's regulations helps to save lives."

The law requires owners of California-registered truck fleets to
regularly inspect their vehicles to ensure that their engine
emissions meet state air quality regulations. 

As part of the settlement, Sturgeon & Son is required to: 

Guarantee employees responsible for conducting the inspections
attend a mandatory California community college class on diesel
emissions 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 all heavy-duty truck engine software with the latest
low-NOx (oxides of nitrogen emissions) programming; and, 
Ensure that all diesel trucks are up to federal emissions
standards for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled
with an emission control label. 

Sturgeon & Son paid $14,500 in penalties: $10,875 went to the
California Air Pollution Control Fund for projects and research
to improve California's air quality. The Peralta Community
College District received $1,812.50 to fund emissions education
classes conducted by participating California community colleges.
The remaining $1,812.50 went to the California Pollution Control
Financing Authority which guarantees loans to off-road vehicle
fleets that need to buy exhaust retrofits to comply with state
regulations.

Diesel exhaust contains a variety of harmful gases and over 40
other known cancer-causing compounds. In 1998, California
identified diesel particulate matter as a toxic air contaminant
based on its potential to cause cancer, premature death, and
other health problems.


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.

#####