What's New List Serve Post Display
Below is the List Serve Post you selected to display.
newsrel -- San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and contractors fined $47,750 for emissions violations
Posted: 18 Jun 2009 10:34:55
Owners of diesel fleets must assure that their engines continue to meet air quality standards. Release 09-57 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 18, 2009 Karen Caesar (626) 575-6728 www.arb.ca.gov San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and contractors fined $47,750 for emissions violations SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board fined the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System $47,750 in May for diesel vehicle emissions violations. An ARB investigation showed that MTS failed to meet transit fleet vehicle requirements, and did not inspect their heavy-duty diesel vehicle fleet. MTS paid a fine of $11,375 for failing to meet the fleet vehicle requirements. MTS maintenance contractors Veolia Transportation Services, First Transit and McDonalds Transit Associates paid a combined fine of $36,375 for failing to meet the emission test requirements for the MTS diesel vehicle fleet. "Local communities, transit customers and the mechanics who work on the vehicles are particularly vulnerable and should not pay for emissions violations with their health," said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. 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. MTS 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 on-road heavy-duty diesel engines 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 on-road diesel engines are up to federal emissions standards for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled with an emissions control certification label. MTS paid $47,750 in penalties: $35,812.50 went to the California Air Pollution Control Fund for projects and research to improve California's air quality; the Peralta Community College District received $5,968.75 to fund emissions education classes conducted by participating California community colleges; and, the remaining $5,968.75 went to the California Pollution Control Financing Authority which guarantees loans to off-road vehicle fleets that need to buy exhaust retrofits to comply with state regulations. 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. #####