California Air Resources Board

In 1994, the California Air Resources Board began regulating Off-Highway Recreational Vehicles (OHRVs) with the mission to reduce the air quality impact of this category.  OHRVs primarily include off-highway motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), utility-terrain vehicles, and side-by-sides.  While the categorical name only acknowledges the segment’s recreational aspects, OHRVs are frequently used in occupational disciplines that include, but are not limited to, agriculture, building and trades, landscape maintenance, and law enforcement.  Spark-ignited OHRVs are a known source of tropospheric ozone precursors that contribute to the formation of smog.  CARB has implemented a series of regulations which limit the amount of ozone precursors each OHRV can produce.  Most recently, in 2013 CARB developed regulations limiting the amount of evaporative emissions which are permitted by each OHRV.