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newsrel -- Humboldt Transit Authority fined $24,000 for emissions violations

Posted: 08 Oct 2009 12:04:07
Transit authority failed to inspect trucks for diesel emissions
during 2007 and 2008. NEWS RELEASE

Air Resources Board

Release 09-92
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2009	
					
CONTACT: Mary Fricke
(916) 322-2990
www.arb.ca.gov

Humboldt Transit Authority fined $24,000 for emissions
violations

SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board fined Humboldt
Transit Authority $24,000 this month for failure to inspect its
diesel truck fleet for smoke emissions during 2007 and 2008. 

An ARB investigation showed that the Humboldt Transit Authority
consisting of Arcata/Mad River Transit System, Eureka Transit
Service and Humboldt/Redwood Transit System failed to meet the
transit fleet vehicle requirements, and did not inspect all the
vehicles in their heavy-duty diesel fleet.

“Diesel emissions are the most common toxic air contaminant in
California and are a threat to public health,” said ARB Chairman
Mary D. Nichols.  “Transit authorities must ensure vehicles are
properly inspected to provide clean air for passengers and the
surrounding region.” 

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, Humboldt Transit Authority 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. 

The Transit Fleet Rule is the California Air Resources Board's
effort to reduce both criteria pollutant emissions and exposure
to toxic air contaminants from urban buses and transit fleet
vehicles.

Humboldt Transit Authority paid $24,000 in penalties: $18,000
will go to the California Air Pollution Control Fund for projects
and research to improve California's air quality. The Peralta
Community College District will receive $3,000 to fund emissions
education classes conducted by participating California community
colleges; and, the remaining $3,000 will go 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.

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