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Money for cleaning up diesel trucks. 

Release 08-59
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 09, 2008
	  	  	
Leo Kay
(916)849-9843 (916)322-2990
www.arb.ca.gov

State presents first Bond 1B check to Valley to clean up air
quality

$5.6 million to be used to retrofit, replace hundreds of dirty
truck engines

MERCED, Calif. - During a ceremony today at a Technology Forum
held at UC Merced, California EPA Undersecretary Cindy Tuck
presented a $5.6 million check to the San Joaquin Valley Air
Pollution Control District to clean up hundreds of older, dirty
diesel truck engines currently polluting Valley air.

The air district will use the funding to retrofit somewhere
between 100 to 300 trucks with diesel particulate filters and
completely replace the engines of an additional 70 to 100
trucks. Diesel pollution from trucks transiting major roadways,
such as Interstate 5 and Highway 99, accounts for 80 percent of
the Valley's smog forming and particulate matter emissions.

The truck fleet cleanups precede a draft regulation that the Air
Resources Board will vote on in October that, if passed, will
require truckers to retrofit pre-2007 model year trucks with
soot filters and then requires a gradual modernization of trucks
beginning in 2012, so that ultimately all trucks are the
cleanest, 2010 or newer models. Over the past decade, ARB has
also passed a series of landmark regulations aimed at slashing
diesel emissions from ships, off-road construction equipment and
other sources.

"This first check under Proposition 1B is going exactly where
it's needed most -- to fund the retrofits and replacements of
older, dirty diesel trucks that pollute Valley air," Tuck said.
"This funding, combined with the opportunities that will grow
out of today's technololgy forum, will continue our momentum in
improving air quality in California."

"The Valley faces tremendous air quality challenges, and we
appreciate this unprecedented support from the state which will
result in a real reduction in emissions and a better quality of
life for valley residents," said Seyed Sadredin, San Joaquin
Valley Air Pollution Control Officer.

ARB will allocate an additional $40.5 million to the San Joaquin
air district for other diesel emissions reduction projects in the
coming year.

ARB and California EPA also signed a memorandum of agreement
today with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and San
Joaquin and South Coast air districts, committing to work
together on identifying and promoting emerging technologies to
improve air quality throughout the state.

Southern California and the Central Valley continue to suffer
from some of the worst air quality in the nation. Emissions from
diesel particulate matter are associated with causing a variety
of health effects including premature death and a number of
heart and lung diseases.

The check constitutes the first funding handed out using
Proposition 1B funds, which was the transportation bond put on
the ballot by the Legislature and before the voters in November
2006. The 2007-08 Budget, signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in
August, funds the initial $250 million of the $1 billion set
aside for air quality improvement projects in Proposition 1B.

The Board is focused on funding projects that reduce emissions
and health risk, incorporate simplicity and efficiency, ensure
cost-effectiveness, and leverage other funding source. Go to
www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/diesel.htm/ for application criteria.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and
protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and
considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain
health based air quality standards.

The energy challenge facing California is real. Every
Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy
consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and
cut your energy cost, see our web site at http://www.arb.ca.gov


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