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Diesel fleet owner cited for not properly inspecting engines. 

Release 08-62
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2008
	  	  	
Karen Caesar
(626)575-6728
www.arb.ca.gov
ARB cites goods-movement company $9,750 for diesel emission
violations

SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board has fined Don E.
Keith Transportation, a transportation firm based in Bakersfield,
$9,750 this month for diesel truck emission violations that
occurred in 2005.

An ARB fleet audit found that the company had not been annually
inspecting their heavy-duty diesel vehicles at a fleet center in
Bakersfield, as required by California law.

"Shrewd business owners carry out regular inspections and ensure
employees are up-to-speed on clean air requirements," said ARB
Chairman Mary Nichols. "The penalties for not doing so can cost
a business money and their reputation."

As part of the settlement, Don E. Keith Transportation must
comply with the following:

    * Guarantee employees that are responsible for conducting
the inspections attend a mandatory California community college
training class on diesel emissions and provide certificates of
completion within one year;
    * Instruct employees and drivers on ARB's truck idling
regulations;
    * Provide documentation to ARB that the inspections are
being carried out for the next four years; and,
    * Ensure that all diesel trucks are up to federal emissions
standards for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled
with the manufacturer's factory engine certification label. 

The company will pay $9,750 in penalties: $7,312 will go to the
California Air Pollution Control Fund, which provides funding
for projects and research to improve California's air quality,
with the remaining $2,437 going to Peralta Community College
District to fund emission education classes conducted by
participating California community colleges under the California
Council for Diesel Education and Technology.

A decade ago, the ARB listed diesel particulate matter as a
toxic air contaminant in order to protect public health.
Exposure to unsafe levels of diesel emissions can increase the
risk of asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases.
California has aggressively worked to cut diesel emissions by
cleaning up diesel fuel, requiring cleaner engines for trucks,
buses and off-road equipment, and limiting unnecessary idling.

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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