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All diesel fleets must be regularly inspected for compliance with
clean air regulations. 

Release 08-75
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2008
	  	  	
Dimitri Stanich
(916)322-2990
www.arb.ca.gov

Propane distribution firm pays ARB $36,375 for diesel emission
violations

SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board has fined a
Cameron Park, Calif., propane distributor $36,375 this month for
diesel truck emission violations.

An ARB audit of Suburban Propane found that the company did not
annually inspect its heavy- duty diesel vehicles in 2006 and
2007 at fleet centers in Placerville, Rancho Cordova, Redding,
Yreka, Grass Valley, Clearlake, Lancaster, Santa Cruz, Marina,
Turlock, Oakhurst, Fresno, Escondido, Lake Isabella, San Jose
and Concord.

"ARB's diesel inspection program keeps dirty trucks off the
roadways so communities can breathe easier," said ARB Chief
Counsel Ellen Peter. "We will continue to ferret out and assess
penalties against companies failing to inspect their vehicles."

As part of the settlement, Suburban Propane must comply with the
following:

    * Guarantee employees that are responsible for conducting
the inspections attend a mandatory class on diesel emissions and
provide certificates of completion within one year;
    * Provide documentation to ARB that the inspections are
being carried out for the next four years;
    * Revise truck engine software with the latest Low-NOx
programming; and,
    * Ensure that all diesel trucks are up to federal emissions
standards for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled
with an engine certification label. 

The company will pay $36,375 in penalties: $27,281.25 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 $9,093.75 going to Peralta Community College
District to fund emission education classes.

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.

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