SACRAMENTO – In a victory for air quality advocates, Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law today Assembly Bill 233 by Assemblymember Dave Jones (D- Sacramento) to increase enforcement of diesel emission regulations. 

AB 233 will make California’s air cleaner by requiring CARB to adopt a strategic plan to enforce existing diesel emission regulations.  The enforcement plan will include increased education efforts aimed at truck drivers and community members, outreach efforts to sister enforcing agencies, and more in-house enforcement officers.  The bill also will increase the fine for idling violations, bringing the penalty in line with other diesel pollution violation fines.  In addition, AB 233 will ensure that heavy-duty diesel trucks registered in California are operating cleanly by requiring owners to “clear” air quality citations before renewing their truck registration. 

In 1998 the California Air Resources Board identified diesel particulate matter as a toxic air contaminant.  It found that diesel particulate matter, found in diesel exhaust, was responsible for 70% of California’s toxic airborne cancer risk.  In addition to particulate matter, diesel exhaust also was found to contain over forty other cancer causing substances.

As a result of this study, CARB developed the Diesel Risk Reduction Plan.  The plan strives to reduce  the State’s diesel particulate matter emissions by 75% by 2010 and 85% by 2020.  Since 2000, CARB has adopted a series of regulations to move California towards this goal and to reduce the public’s health risk.  Unfortunately, CARB currently only has 18 heavy-duty field enforcement officers who cover the entire state.  This number is inadequate to ensure compliance with idling and other diesel emission regulations.  There are over 500,000 diesel vehicles operating  in California and approximately 38,000 truck terminals. 

“The importance of clean air cannot be overstated,” explained Assemblymember Jones. “Recent studies have found that particulate pollution substantially increases the risk of heart disease in older women and a 2007 University of Southern California study found that children living within 500 yards of a freeway had pronounced deficits in lung capacity.  In addition, CARB estimates that 3,000 Californians die prematurely every year due to diesel particulate pollution.  I am pleased that the Governor signed my AB 233  to improve California’s air quality.  AB 233 will close gaps in our enforcement efforts and improve public health. ”