WASHINGTON -- Officials from the California Air Resources Board (ARB) will be in Washington for the next chapter in California's small off-road engine (SORE) regulations pursuit.

When ARB revised standards for small off-road engines (which include lawnmowers, blowers, chain saws, etc.) in 2003, it created a political storm.

One of Govenowr Schwarzenegger's first environmental advocacy acts just weeks after taking office had him making personal calls to members of congress asking them to protect California's right to enforce emission standards.

An agreement was reached between Senators Bond and Feinstein to put the tougher standards on hold to let officials examine the potential safety hazards of using catalytic converters in small engines.

In April, the studies were released concluding that the new standards could be met safely, thus putting ARB's approval request to enforce the regulations back on the table.

Tomorrow (6/29) at 10:00 a.m., the U.S. EPA will hear the waiver request from ARB.

ARB is hopeful that U.S. EPA officials will grant California a waiver and are optimistic that the administration will adopt California regulations as the federal standard later this year.

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.