SACRAMENTO - The Air Resources Board announced that in calendar year 2013, it settled 256 cases involving air quality violations by heavy duty diesel truck and bus fleets that failed to comply with ARB’s various diesel risk reduction programs.

The amount collected will be distributed to the California Air Pollution Control Fund and to the Peralta Colleges Foundation.  The fund will receive $1,703,084 for research projects to improve California’s air quality, with the remaining $417,167 going to the college district to fund diesel emission education classes and diesel technology certificate and degree programs, conducted by participating California community colleges around the state, and $57,562 to fund school bus diesel particulate filter installations.
 
“ARB’s diesel risk reduction program is designed to limit the amount of harmful pollution from diesel engines,” said ARB Enforcement Chief James Ryden. “Companies who fail to comply with the regulations are contributing to that pollution, and that is when ARB must take action.”

The fines totaled $2,177,813. Violations included failure to comply with the Statewide Truck and Bus program, verification/certification procedures for diesel particulate filters, properly self-inspect diesel fleets to assure trucks met state smoke emission standards, dispatching noncompliant trucks on California highways along with other infractions. The companies paying the highest amounts were:

•    Thermo King Corporation - $213,200
•    California Gas Transport - $136,125
•    GC Harvesting - $120,000
•    KS Industries, Inc. - $230,250
•    Roly’s Trucking - $58,000
•    White Arrow- $50,700
•    THX Transport - $50,000

The companies involved in the 40 other settlements were:

•    Altos Brothers Trucking
•    Amador Transit
•    A.M. Ortega Construction, Inc.
•    Apple Valley Unified School District
•    Arctic Glacier Ice, Inc.
•    Bear Valley Electric Service
•    Berryessa Garbage Service
•    California American Water
•    Capital Drum, Inc.
•    Cardenas Markets, Inc.
•    CR&R Waste & Recycling
•    Daly Movers, Inc.
•    Dash Transport, Inc.
•    Dolphin Express/ Dolphin Transport
•    ESTES West
•    File Keepers, LLC
•    F.N.F Rolloff Services
•    Hansen & Adkins Auto Transport
•    Jerry Melton & Sons Construction Inc.
•    JLV Transport LLC, Lakeport Disposal Company, Inc.
•    Mike Tamana freight Lines, LLC
•    Mountainside Disposal, Inc.
•    MVP Trucking, Inc.
•    Old Durham Wood Co.
•    Oltmans Construction
•    Pacific Green Trucking
•    Pemer Packing Company
•    R &F Disposal
•    Redwood Debris Box
•    Reeve Trucking
•    Rodolfe Nunez DBA Nunez Transport
•    Selma Disposal &Recycling, Inc.
•    Smartway Express
•    Sterling Express Services
•    Transloading Express, Inc.
•    Victor Nunez DBA Nunez Transport
•    Vigold Transport Systems, Inc.
•    Water Reclamation Equipment, Inc.
•    Williams Tank Lines

The remaining 209 cases that were individually settled below $10,000 had a total of $449,838 in penalties.

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.

For more information about ARB’s diesel risk reduction programs, visit:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/dieselrrp.htm