What's New List Serve Post Display

The California Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) staff has
posted several items about the agricultural vehicle provisions of
the Truck and Bus regulation, including the online reporting
system link and reporting forms.   Fleets can take advantage of
the agricultural vehicle provisions by submitting information
about qualifying vehicles by the March 31, 2011 deadline. This is
the final opportunity to apply for the extensions.

Staff has posted a factsheet summarizing the agricultural vehicle
provisions consistent with the amendments considered by the Board
on December 17, 2010.  The factsheet is available at
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/documents.htm.

Staff is also mailing letters to agricultural fleet owners
acknowledging their 2010 agricultural vehicle application, along
with instructions on how to report and update any information
previously reported.  The letters will include online account
information so that fleets can use the online system to view and
update their records.  All agricultural fleets that reported in
2010 should receive their letters within the next two weeks.

The online reporting system is now available for agricultural
fleets to report at http://www.arb.ca.gov/trucrsreporting/. 
Agricultural fleets that reported in 2010 can login to the online
system to provide January 1, 2011 odometer readings and update
vehicle information for 2011.  Fleets that are reporting for the
first time can create an account and enter their information
directly online without using paper reporting forms.  The user
guide provides information on how to report and has the paper
reporting forms.  For fleets that do not have internet access,
please call 866-6DIESEL (866-634-3735) to request copies by
mail.

For more information about the regulation, go to
www.arb.ca.gov/dieseltruck. If you have any questions, please
call 866-6DIESEL (866-634-3735) or email at:
8666diesel@arb.ca.gov.

Background

On December 11, 2008, the Board approved for adoption the Truck
and Bus regulation to control emissions from nearly all existing
diesel powered heavy-duty trucks and buses operating in
California.  The regulation became effective under California law
on January 8, 2010. The regulation applies to diesel fueled
trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
greater than 14,000 pounds that are privately owned, federally
owned, and to publicly and privately owned school buses.  Local
and state government owned diesel fueled trucks and buses are
already subject to other ARB regulations. Reducing emissions from
in-use trucks and buses is necessary to meet federally imposed
clean air standards and to reduce the adverse health effects from
truck and bus pollution.

In an update to the Board on December 9, 2009, a staff analysis
showed that because of the global recession emissions from trucks
and busses covered by the regulation were lower than originally
anticipated. The Board directed staff to propose amendments to
the Truck and Bus Regulation that would provide additional
flexibility for fleets without impairing the State’s ability to
meet federal air quality standards.  On December 17, 2010, the
staff recommended amendments that would delay the initial
requirement to install particulate matter (PM) retrofit filters
by one year to January 1, 2012 and extended the time those
vehicles would comply with PM filters installed.  The amendments
would also defer engine replacements for two years until January
1, 2015.  Prior to 2020, replacements would be limited to 20 year
old or older trucks that are not equipped with PM filters.  By
January 1, 2023, most vehicles would still need to have 2010
model year engines or equivalent.

Enforcement Advisory 424 was issued to reflect the Boards
direction; inclusion in this advisory was the extension of the
agricultural vehicle provision reporting deadline, allowing
fleets who did not report in 2010 to report by March 31, 2011 to
participate in this provision.  To review this advisory, go to
http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/advs/advs424.pdf