California Air Resources Board

Following a November 5, 1998, hearing, the Air Resources Board (CARB) amended California's Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) regulations. The new amendments, known as LEV II, included three major interrelated elements designed to reduce criteria pollutant exhaust emissions: 1) expanding the light-duty truck category up to 8,500 lbs., GVW so that most sport utility vehicles, mini-vans and pick-up trucks were subject to the same low-emission vehicle standards as passenger cars, 2) strengthening the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) standard for passenger cars and light-duty trucks, and changing other emission standards, and 3) establishing more stringent 2004 through 2010 model year phase-in requirements for passenger cars, light-duty trucks and medium-duty vehicles.  The LEV II standards flat-lined at model year 2010 levels through model year 2014.

Formal Regulatory Documents for the LEV II Regulation

These are formal regulatory documents such as the hearing notice, staff report and proposed regulatory documents for the LEV II regulation.  They include the major LEV II and CAP 2000 amendments that were adopted following a November 5, 1998 hearing; these amendments were formally adopted by CARB on August 5, 1999, and, after approval by the California Office of Administrative Law on October 28, 1999, became operative November 27, 1999.

December 7, 2000 Hearing

These are formal regulatory documents for the rulemaking to consider requiring certain California light- and medium-duty vehicles to be subject to federal Tier 2 Exhaust Emission Standards, and adopting additional exhaust emission standards for heavy-duty gasoline vehicles and engines. 

November 15, 2001 Hearing

These are formal regulatory documents for the rulemaking to consider modifications to the LEV II regulations to establish particulate matter standards for gasoline vehicles and make various other minor changes.

December 12, 2002 Hearing

These are formal regulatory documents for the rulemaking to consider minor amendments to the LEV II regulations and to adopt additional exhaust emission standards for 2008 and subsequent model heavy-duty gasoline vehicles and engines.