SACRAMENTO - ARB announces an early action compliance credit for trucking fleets that install a particulate filter by July 1, 2011, or that make a commitment to purchase a particulate filter by May 1, 2011.  By installing a particulate filter early on one truck, the fleet will be able to delay compliance for a second truck in the fleet until January 1, 2017.

The early action “buy-one-get-one-free” credit applies to heavier trucks with a manufacturers gross vehicle weight rating of more than 26,000 lbs. There is no limit on how many trucks in the fleet can earn the early action credit.

“California fleets need to act now in order to take advantage of this special offer to clean up their fleets so that they are further along in complying with ARB’s diesel reduction regulations,” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols.  “Acting now not only makes good business sense, it also means communities can breathe cleaner air sooner.”  

Fleets that install a particulate matter filter by July 1, 2011, will get the early action credit.  Fleets that have made the commitment to purchase by May 1 and install the PM filter after July 1, 2011, will still receive early action credit.    In addition, the vehicle that is retrofitted would also be compliant until 2020 regardless of engine model year.  Extra particulate filter credits are not available for filters installed to comply with other pre-existing ARB regulations or, if partially paid for by public funding. 

Fleets are required to report information about all of their heavier trucks that operate in California by January 31, 2012, to use the phase-in option and to claim the early action credit plus other credits.

On December 17, 2010, ARB made amendments to the Truck and Bus regulations in order to offer businesses a variety of options to comply with regulations to reduce soot from diesel engines while assuring that California continues to meet its air quality obligations and public health.

On December 11, 2008, ARB approved the Truck and Bus regulation to control emissions from nearly all existing diesel powered heavy-duty trucks and buses operating in California and became effective under California law on January 8, 2010.  The regulation applies to diesel fueled trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 14,000 lbs. that are privately owned, federally owned, and to publicly and privately owned school buses.  

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. In 2000, the ARB established California's Diesel Risk Reduction Plan, which aims to reduce diesel emissions to 85 percent below 2000 levels by 2020.

For more information on the Truck and Bus regulation, go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/onrdiesel.htm or call 1-866-6DIESEL.