THE California Air Resources Board (CARB) is considering proposed amendments of the airborne toxic control measure for in-use, diesel-fueled transport refrigeration units and generator sets, and facilities where transport refrigeration units operate.
The proposed amendments would affect owners of transport refrigeration units and transport refrigeration units gen sets that operate in California that are equipped with model year 2003 engines, regardless of horsepower category, and model year 2004 engines in the less-than-25-hp category.
Trucks do not have to be based in California. The measure applies to all transport refrigeration units and gen set owners, whether based in California or out-of-state, that transport perishable goods using refrigerated trucks, trailers, shipping containers, and railcars within the state.
The amendments would change the in-use standards for 2003 model transport refrigeration units and gen set engines in the 25-hp-and-greater power category from the ultra-low-emission transport refrigeration units (ULETRU) in-use standard to allow either the ULETRU standard or, as an option, the less stringent low-emission (LETRU) in-use standard.
CARB says this change would provide owners with more compliance flexibility and is needed because ULETRU compliance options presently are limited and relatively costly compared to LETRU compliance costs. The compliance date for meeting one of these standards would remain December 31, 2010. Seven years later, by the end of 2017, the 2003 model year engines that are still remaining in service would be required to meet ULETRU if the owner chose to meet the LETRU standard in 2010.
The amendments would also change the in-use standard for 2003 and 2004 model year engines in the less-than-25-hp category from the ULETRU in-use standard to allow either the ULETRU standard or, as an option, the LETRU in-use standard. The compliance dates would remain December 31, 2010, for 2003 model engines and December 31, 2011, for 2004 engines, when the owner must choose to meet one of these standards.
Seven years later, by the end of 2017, the MY 2003 engines that still remain in service would be required to meet the ULETRU standard if the owner chose to meet the LETRU standard in 2010. By the end of 2018, the MY 2004 engines that still remain in service would also be required to meet the ULETRU standard if the owner chose to meet the LETRU standard in 2011.
CARB says that TRU OEMs and engine manufacturers have not followed a consistent practice in identifying the model year of flexibility engines.
Several sources are available for additional information on the regulations. They include the transport refrigeration unit website: http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru.htm; a help line — (888) 878-2826 — and specialists Rich Boyd ([email protected] or phone (916) 322-8285) and Rod Hill ([email protected]) or phone (916) 327-5636.