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California imposes strict emissions regulations |
California is acting now to reduce emissions and
public health risks associated with pollution.
The regulations approved by the California Air
Resources Board (CARB) apply to all heavy-duty
commercial trucks operating in the state of
California and eventually require trucks to meet
2010 engine emissions standards. CARB believes
the regulations are necessary to meet federal
air-quality standards and will provide health
benefits of up to $69 billion.
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are also
enforcing emissions standards with a stricter
timeline. Carriers working at the Southern
California ports must meet 2007 Federal
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions
standards by 2012.
Both the Clean Truck Program and the new
regulation from CARB offer financial assistance
to carriers needing new equipment or vehicles to
meet the new requirements. Additional states are
expected to develop similar emissions standards
since the emissions regulations from CARB are
based on Federal EPA standards and apply to
carriers outside
of the state.
Emissions regulations for California
operating trucks
In Dec. 2008, the CARB passed diesel emissions
reduction regulations for commercial trucks.
Beginning in 2011, heavy-duty trucks operating
in California will need to reduce emissions by
installing a diesel soot filter, replacing the
engine with a more recent model or purchasing a
new vehicle. The next step requires all
heavy-duty trucks to meet or exceed 2010 engine
emissions standards by 2023.
The regulation also requires carriers to use
fuel-saving equipment endorsed by EPA such as
low-friction tires. About one million trucks
will be affected by the regulations, costing the
industry more than $5 billion.
Small fleets with less than four heavy-duty
trucks may be able to receive funding assistance
from the Carl Moyer Incentive program. For more
information on the incentive program, please
visit:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/moyer/voucher/voucher.htm.
Clean Truck Program
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach began
collecting the clean truck fee on Feb. 18, 2009.
The Clean Truck Program was developed to reduce
diesel truck emissions from the ports by 80
percent in the next five years. As part of the
program, cargo owners are required to pay a
clean truck fee for each container transported
by a truck that does not meet the 2007 emissions
standards. Fee collection was originally
scheduled to start on Oct. 1, 2008, but the
Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) challenged the
fee, which delayed the collection.
The clean truck fee is $35 for each 20-foot
container and $70 for each container longer than
20 feet. The fees will be allocated to the Clean
Truck Fund, which provides carriers with
financial support for updating their trucks. For
more information on financial assistance, please
visit:
http://www.portoflosangeles.org/environment/ctp_grant.asp.
Currently, the Clean Truck Program has banned
all trucks with a model year prior to 1989. The
next step, effective on Jan. 1, 2010, bans model
years 1989-1993 as well as model years 1994-2003
that have not been retrofitted. The final step
requires all trucks to meet or surpass the 2007
Federal Environmental Protection Agency
emissions standards
by Jan. 1, 2012.
Protect your financial investment
As the Clean Truck Program imposes stricter
requirements for emissions standards, more
businesses will be required to purchase newer
vehicles. Protect your new equipment investment
by purchasing a comprehensive Truck Insurance
program, which includes: Primary Auto Liability,
Physical Damage, Non-Truck Liability, General
Liability, Property, Warehouse coverage and
Truckers’ Bonds. |
For more information, please contact your
local Avalon office or
Anna Vize, Product
Manager at (847) 700-8154 or at
avize@avalonrisk.com.
A list of our eleven North American offices can
be found at
www.avalonrisk.com. |
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