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Diesel fleet owners must maintain records of truck inspections. 

Release 09-41
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2009
	  	  	
Dimitri Stanich
916-322-2990
www.arb.ca.gov

Northern California Forest Products Company Fined $3,000

SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board has fined Sierra
Pacific Industries this month for diesel truck emissions
violations during 2007 and 2008.

ARB investigators found that Sierra Pacific failed to inspect,
test, measure, record and maintain its diesel truck fleet at its
Lincoln, Anderson, Camino and Quincy facilities in accordance
with the Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP).

"We understand businesses have to be more competitive than ever
in today's economy," said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. "But
clean air saves everybody money by protecting public health."

The law requires owners of California-registered truck and bus
fleets to regularly inspect their vehicles to ensure that their
engine emissions meet state air quality standards.

As part of the settlement, Sierra Pacific Industries is required
to:

    * Guarantee employees responsible for conducting the
inspections attend a California community college training class
on diesel emissions compliance testing and provide certificates
of completion within one year;
    * Provide documentation to ARB that the inspections are
being carried out for the next four years;
    * Ensure all of the company's heavy-duty diesel trucks have
their software updated with the latest low-NOx (oxides of
nitrogen emissions) programming;
    * Instruct vehicle operators to comply with the state's
idling regulations;
    * Comply with requirements of the fleet rule for transit
agencies; and,
    * Ensure that all diesel trucks are up to federal emissions
standards for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled
with an emission control label. 

Sierra Pacific Industries will pay $3,000 in penalties: $2,250
will go to the California Air Pollution Control Fund, providing
funding for projects and research to improve California's air
quality; the Peralta Community College District will receive $375
to fund emissions education classes conducted by participating
California community colleges; and, the remaining $375 will go to
the California Pollution Control Financing Authority to fund
low-interest loans for owners of off-road diesel-powered
construction vehicles.

Diesel exhaust contains a variety of harmful gases and over 40
other known cancer-causing compounds. In 1998, California
identified diesel particulate matter as a toxic air contaminant
based on its potential to cause cancer, premature death and other
health problems.

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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