SACRAMENTO -- The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has received settlement monies totaling $181,750 from AT & T, Sacramento Concrete and Daily Disposal Services for failing to properly self-inspect their diesel truck fleets as required under ARB regulations.

"To continue to see improvements in California's air quality, we must be vigilant on many fronts, including diesel truck inspections," said ARB Executive Officer, Catherine Witherspoon. "Truck operators need to understand that our enforcement team can show up at any time to make sure that they are in compliance."

The Periodic Smoke Inspection Program requires that owners of California-registered truck and bus fleets perform regular inspections of their vehicles to ensure that their engine emissions meet state air quality standards.

AT & T paid $161,750 in penalties including $121,312 to the California Air Pollution Fund (APCF) and $40,437.50 to the Peralta Community College District for California Community Colleges that participate in the California Council on Diesel Education and Technology (CCDET) Program. The CCDET is a joint training effort by community colleges, government and industry, created to assist the trucking and transit industries in complying with the ARB's diesel vehicle fleet regulations.

Sacramento Concrete paid $15,000 in penalties, including $11,250 to the APCF and $3,750 to the Peralta Community College District for their violations.

Finally, Daily Disposal Services is also splitting its $5,000 fine, paying $3,750 to the APCF and $1,250 to the Peralta Community College District. The company violated both the ARB's smoke inspection program and its Solid Waste Collection Vehicle rule - the latter by failing to use best available control technologies to reduce diesel emissions according to a pre-determined schedule.

In addition to paying the fines, in each of these cases, fleet staff responsible for compliance with the ARB's regulations for diesel vehicle fleets must attend classes conducted by the CCDET.

The APCF was established to mitigate various sources of pollution through education and the advancement and use of cleaner technology. This fund uses compliance settlement fees to fund various pollution-related research projects and related programs. The Legislature controls the use of the APCF through the annual Budget Act.

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 website at http://www.arb.ca.gov.