ARB PLACE Program for Off-Road Vehicles, Portable Diesel Equipment and Marine Vessels

This page last reviewed September 1, 2012.

Summary

The ARB received American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to assist business owners in complying early with ARB's emissions regulations.  The ARB has partnered with the California Pollution Control Financing Authority (CPCFA) to help facilitate this program.  Through CPCFA’s Capital Access Program (CalCAP), small business customers may seek lending  assistance  to help finance products that include replacement of off-road vehicles,  portable diesel equipment, marine vessels,  marine diesel engine repowers, or purchase and install ARB-verified exhaust retrofits in order to comply early with the associated following regulations: In-Use Off-Road Diesel Vehicle Regulation, the Portable Diesel-Fueled Engines Airborne Toxic Control Measure, or the Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) Regulation.  Such vehicles and portable diesel equipment are used in construction, agriculture, mining, and industrial operations.  The objective is to encourage early compliance and is not for fleet expansion.

What's New?

Posted September 1, 2012  

•   The ARRA PLACE Program for Off-Road Vehicles, Portable Diesel Equipment, and Marine Vessels sunset on September 1, 2012. The ARB and the CPCFA will not accept new loans. Staff will continue processing and maintaining the executed projects until completion including scrappage verification and project inspection.

Posted August 1, 2012

• The Air Resources Board is reminding and encouraging small business owners of off-road diesel vehicles, portable diesel equipment, or diesel marine vessels and engines to take advantage of this loan assistance opportunity.  The loan must be completed and executed by August 31, 2012

Posted June 14, 2011

• View video of the press event held for the first PLACE off-road funded replacement vehicle.
• PLACE Program funds are now available for portable diesel equipment.  Examples of eligible portable diesel equipment include (where diesel engines are present): air compressors, generators, concrete pumps, tub grinders, wood chippers, water pumps, drill rigs, rock drills, abrasive blasters, aggregate screening and crushing plants, concrete batch plants, and welders.

Eligibility

Am I eligible for loan assistance? You are if:

• Your company has diesel vehicles, portable diesel equipment used in construction, agriculture, mining, or industrial operations, or diesel-powered marine vessels and engines.
• Your company is a small business, meaning it has 500 or fewer employees.
• Your company has its primary economic effect in California (which means most of your employees live in California, and most of your business operations are in California). 

Off-Road Vehicles

Which off-road vehicle fleets are eligible?

• Fleets of all sizes (small, medium, and large as defined by the off-road rule) are eligible, as long as they meet the above eligibility requirements and the business owner has a DOORS ARB-assigned fleet-ID number.  If the business owner does not have a DOORS fleet-ID number, the business owner can apply for an ID number and receive it while applying for loan assistance. 
• Owners of agricultural vehicles applying for PLACE funds will be required to register their respective vehicles that are going to be replaced, repowered, or retrofitted in DOORS in-order to be eligible for funds.  
• Owners of agricultural vehicles are not required to report their entire fleets to DOORS.

Portable Diesel Equipment*

What portable diesel equipment is eligible?

• Portable diesel equipment that have a horsepower rating of 50 or greater, and have either a registration number for the portable diesel equipment from the Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP), or a permit from a local Air District where it is required, or a letter of exemption from a local Air District where a permit is not required. 

Marine Vessels

Which marine vessels/engines are eligible?

• Marine vessels must be a diesel-powered commercial harbor craft, including but not limited to, commercial fishing boats, charter fishing boats, crew and supply vessels, ferry/excursion vessels, pilot vessels, tow boats, tugboats, and work boats.
• Engines must have a horsepower rating of 50 or greater.

What are the Steps for Getting a Loan through the Program?

1. The borrower applies for a loan at a participating CalCAP Off-Road Lender and also fills out the Enrollment Form for off-road and portable equipment loans, or the Enrollment Form for a marine vessel engine.  CalCAP lenders may be able to assist the borrower in completing this form.  In addition, the borrower completes the lender’s required loan application forms.
2. If the borrower qualifies based on the lender’s loan underwriting requirements, loan documents are prepared and signed by the borrower and lender.
3. The lender disburses funds to the borrower.
4. The borrower or dealer provides verification of disposal (scrap) to CalCAP within 90 days of the date of loan.

How Can My Loan be Used? 

You can use your loan to cover any or all of the following:

• Engine repower*
  • Upgrade to a cleaner Tier 2, Tier 3, or Tier 4 engine that is either a certified engine or a remanufactured engine that was built consistent with practices outlined in title 13, CCR, section 2423(l).  For marine, the engine is upgraded to Tier 2, Tier 3, or Interim Tier 4 that meets or is cleaner than the current U.S. EPA model year marine engine emission standards that can be found in the CHC Regulation.

• Vehicle or portable diesel equipment* (Replacement only for same type and similar horsepower).
  • Upgrade to a vehicle or portable equipment equipped with a cleaner Tier 2, Tier 3, or Tier 4 engine. For marine, the engine is upgraded to Tier 2, Tier 3, or Interim Tier 4.
• ARB-verified diesel emission control devices (exhaust retrofits).
  • For verified devices, please see ARB's Verified Technologies pages.
  • For marine verified devices, please see ARB’s Marine Verified Technology page.

*Not all portable diesel equipment replacement or portable diesel equipment engine repowers will be eligible for registration in PERP. Please check with PERP staff before purchase to confirm eligibility.

Fact Sheets

• Portable Diesel Equipment loan incentive funding Fact Sheet
• Off-Road Vehicle loan incentive funding Fact Sheet
• Diesel Marine Vessels and Engines loan incentive funding Fact Sheet

Contact information

• Questions regarding off-road vehicles, please contact the Diesel Hotline at 1‑866‑6DIESEL (866‑634‑3735).
• Questions regarding portable diesel equipment, please contact the Registration Program Information Line at (916) 324‑5869.
• Questions regarding marine vessels, please contact the ARB’s Commercial Harbor Hotline at (888) 442-7238.