On December 11, 2008, the ARB Board adopted a regulation to control in-use emissions of PM and NOx emitted by heavy-duty diesel-fueled or alternative diesel-fueled vehicles having a GVWR > 14,000 lbs. that operate in California. Specifically, the regulation will require any person, business, school district, or federal government agency that owns, operates, leases or rents affected vehicles in California to reduce PM and NOx emissions in their fleet by upgrading existing vehicles to meet best available control technology (BACT) standards for PM and NOx. A fleet may meet these performance requirements by retrofitting a vehicle with a verified diesel emission control strategy (DECS) that will achieve PM or NOx reductions or both as required, replacing an engine with a newer cleaner one, or replacing a vehicle with one having a cleaner engine. The new requirements will be phased-in starting January 1, 2011. The phase-in will run through January 1, 2023.
Documents pertaining to this rulemaking, including the latest draft proposal, are available at http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2008/truckbus08/truckbus08.htm.
