At a public hearing Jan. 23, the American Trucking Associations urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency not to allow the California Air Resources Board to implement a strict reefer emissions rule. The California reefer rule, which would take effect in 2008, sets particulate matter standards higher than required by federal law. Reefer engines more than seven years old at the time would have to be retrofitted to meet the new emissions levels or replaced before Dec. 31, 2008.
CARB supports the creation of California-only reefer fleets. However, ATA says the rule will affect as many as 342,000 out-of-state reefer engines and create a de facto national standard more stringent than the federal government’s mandate. ATA, which says the rule exceeds the authority afforded California under the federal Clean Air Act, also charges that CARB’s math is seriously flawed, understating the rule’s cost by $1.25 billion.
ATA will submit written comments on the CARB request before the close of the comment period Feb. 22.
