The California Air Resources Board has scheduled several workshops to discuss and accept public input regarding its proposed requirement that an estimated 1.5 million in-use trucks meet 2007 emission standards by the year 2012.

The proposed plan would force at least 1.5 million trucks to be replaced or retrofitted in order to cut diesel particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen.

CARB announced a proposed in-use truck rule in August 2007 that would have forced truck operators to replace engines twice in a nine-year span. The current proposal requires truck fleets to meet 2007 emission standards by the year 2010. CARB was redrafting language of the proposed regulation Thursday and Friday, May 8 and 9, after outcry from trucking industry representatives about the regulation’s potential costs.

CARB plans to consider approval of its in-use diesel retrofit rule in October.

Upcoming workshops are scheduled for:

• From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, at the CARB Auditorium at 9530 Telstar Ave. in El Monte, CA.
• From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, at the California DOT’s Garcia Room, at 4050 Taylor St. in San Diego.
• From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27, at the El Centro Community Center, at 375 S. First St. in El Centro, CA.
• From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 29, at the Riverside County Administrative Center, at 4080 Lemon St. in Riverside, CA.
• From noon to 4 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 30, at the County of Santa Clara Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium, at 70 West Hedding St. in San Jose, CA.
• From noon to 4 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, June 2, at the Shasta County Board of Supervisors Chambers, at 1450 Court St., Suite 263 in Redding, CA.
• From noon to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4, at CARB’s Byron Sher Auditorium, at 1001 I St. in Sacramento.
• From noon to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, at the Fresno County Plaza Ballroom, at 2220 Tulare St. in Fresno, CA.

The proposed rule has been changed and is likely to continue changing before it is formally proposed in October, said Karen Caesar, a CARB spokeswoman.

Until then, truckers and others are encouraged to give input, she said.

“We’re working hard to listen to the truckers and the folks that would be directly affected by this rule,” Caesar told Land Line.

CARB estimates the proposed in-use truck regulation will cost private businesses between $3.6 and $5.5 billion, although the California Trucking Association reportedly have said that estimate is low.

For more information, visit www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/onrdiesel.htm.

– By Charlie Morasch, staff writer
charlie_morasch@landlinemag.com