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Diesel fleet owners must regularly inspect their engines to
assure compliance. 

Release 10-14
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2010
	  	  	
Dimitri Stanich
916-322-2825
916-716-8047 cell
www.arb.ca.gov

Petaluma company fined $20,000 for emissions violations

SACRAMENTO –  The California Air Resources Board last month
fined a Petaluma, Calif. company $20,000 for failing to inspect
its diesel trucks for compliance with the state’s smoke emissions
standards.

ARB investigators found that Golden State Lumber, Inc. failed to
conduct diesel truck smoke tests in 2009, as required by state
law.  

“Diesel particulate matter is a hazard to all Californians,”
said ARB Enforcement Chief Jim Ryden. “By taking steps to reduce
soot emissions, companies that operate in the state help clean
the air.”

Under the penalty, Golden State Lumber 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 $15,000,
and the remaining $5,000 will go to the Peralta Community College
District to fund diesel education classes around the state.  

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, and premature deaths.

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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