California trucking companies and farmers may soon be given more flexibility with regulations aimed at reducing engine emissions on their diesel trucks and buses.
The Air Resources Board is accepting comments through April 21, ahead of an April 24 board meeting, when it could decide to allow diesel truck and bus owners to be able to drive additional miles each year.
The regulation allows AG-registered diesel trucks and buses to be driven 10,000 miles per year until 2023, at which time they would need to have a 2010 model year engine or newer.
"The whole intention is good; it just gets bogged down with implementation," said Sarb Johl, who owns a 1,000-acre walnut farm in District 10. "Anytime there are new rules and regulations, it will affect my business."
Those who don't meet state clean air laws could face fines, according to the Air Resources Board.
"This rule probably has the biggest economic impact of any air quality rule in California in the last 40 years," said Chris Brown, an air pollution control officer with the Feather River Air Quality Management District in Yuba City.
The board approved the Truck and Bus regulation in December 2008 with the goal of significantly reducing particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen emissions from diesel vehicles in use throughout the state.
"The goal is to protect people's health," Brown said.
The proposed change would allow trucks model year 1995 and older to drive 15,000 miles a year until Jan. 1, 2017; 1996-2005 could travel 20,000 miles; and 2006 and newer could go 25,000 miles in California.
"We are taking a proactive approach with all our equipment that runs on diesel," Johl said. "We are already in the process of taking some of our older tractors and getting new tractors."
Greg Howe, president of D&H Transport in Yuba City, knows all about buying new equipment but is frustrated that regulations continue to change.
"I'll play the game if you give me the rules, but if you keep changing the rules, it is pretty tough," he said. "Anybody that operates a diesel engine is affected by this. The farmers are in the same boat. They have to go out and buy newer engines when the stuff they have is working perfectly fine."
The trucking business has about 30 trucks in its fleet, and Howe said the company bought about 10 new trucks in the past five years at a cost of more than $100,000 each.
"We've gone out in good faith to meet the new rules and regulations," Howe said.
More information can be found at the Air Resource Board website, arb.ca.gov.
Copyright 2014 - Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.