The California Air Resources Board voted to retain Obama administration Phase 2 greenhouse gas emissions rule provisions for medium and heavy duty trucks that regulate glider kits and trailer emissions, despite an EPA proposal to repeal the glider provision. 

"The Phase 2 proposal includes restrictions on the production of high emitting glider vehicles that staff believes are crucial to protecting public health," said Richard Corey, CARB's executive officer. "If the federal glider requirements are repealed, it will allow unlimited numbers of old, remanufactured engines with little or no emission controls to be placed in new truck bodies and sold as new trucks."

Glider vehicles are vehicles with remanufactured engines, but new truck bodies. Repealing the glider kit rule could increase the number of these trucks on U.S. highways from roughly 10,000 to up to 128,000 vehicles, said Mitzi Magtot, a CARB resources engineer. 

Mike Tunnell, director of environmental affairs for American Trucking Associations, said ATA supports CARB's action, but warns that truckers will face extra cost to comply with the stricter regulations.