California Air Resources Board

Save Mart Supermarkets LLC Settles For $1,592,500

In May 2024, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) reached a settlement with Save Mart Supermarkets LLC (Save Mart), with its principal location in Modesto, California for violations of the Management of High Global Warming Potential Refrigerants for Stationary Sources (Refrigerant Management Program or RMP) regulation, as codified in California Code of Regulations, title 17, section 95380 et seq., and the Prohibitions on Use of Certain Hydrofluorocarbons in Stationary Refrigeration, Stationary Air-conditioning, and Other End-Uses  (HFC) regulation, as codified in California Code of Regulations, title 17, section 95371.

Specifically, Save Mart failed to: (1) accurately report quarterly refrigerant leak inspections, as required by the RMP Regulation; (2) conduct annual calibrations on their automatic leak detection systems; (3) repair refrigerant leaks by the deadlines set forth in RMP; and (4) submit an annual report as required by HFC Regulation.

The settlement amount of $1,592,500 represents a per unit penalty of $5,000 per emissions violation per facility, and $1,750 per reporting violation over an unspecified number of days of violation. Save Mart elected to fund two Supplemental Environmental Projects entitled To Reduce Contaminated Waste and Emissions Throughout Bay View Hunters Point Community in the amount of $58,640, and Residential Air Filtration Program in the amount $737,610. The civil penalty amount of $796,250 will be deposited into CARB’s Air Pollution Control Fund, which funds projects and research to improve California’s air quality.

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