CARB issues $330,000 in emissions fines

May 6, 2008

The California Air Resources Board recently fined three companies more than $330,000 total for violating the state’s air quality laws.

New Bern Transport Corp., one of Pepsi Bottling Group’s overland trucking contractors, was fined $280,125 for violating air quality laws during 2006-2007. New Bern failed to inspect their heavy-duty diesel trucks, resulting in increased emissions of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Cities affected by the increased emissions from the Indianapolis-based company include: San Diego, Brawley, Bakersfield, Mojave, Ventura, Santa Maria, Baldwin Park, Carson, San Fernando, Indio, Buena Park, Riverside, Aliso Viejo, Sunnyvale, Santa Rosa, Benicia, Hayward, Ukiah, Fresno, Modesto, Stockton, Salinas, Redding, Eureka and Durham.

The issue was brought to the attention of CARB enforcement personnel during a routine inspection of New Bern’s smoke testing records, which brought to light the extent of the violations. As part of the settlement, the responsible New Bern employees will attend a mandatory diesel education and technology class and provide certificates of completion within one year, place emissions control labels on all of their heavy-duty vehicles and bring them up to federal emissions standards, and provide documentation for the next four years that smoke inspections are being carried out on schedule.

CARB will place $210,094 into the California Air Pollution Control Fund; this fund uses settlement fines to conduct air pollution research and fund several programs aimed at reducing emissions, while also educating the public on pollution prevention. The remaining $70,031 will go to the Peralta Community College District to fund diesel education classes.

Mex-Cal Truckline, also known as Cal-Mex International Broker Inc., settled with the State Attorney General’s Office for $50,000 for failing to comply with state air quality laws. An August 2006 CARB investigation showed that the company, based in San Diego, did not properly self-inspect its fleet of 20-plus trucks for excess diesel emissions. When CARB offered Mex-Cal an opportunity to settle the violations for $30,000, the company rejected it; their actions led CARB to file a complaint with the State Attorney General’s office. The case ultimately was settled — but it cost Mex-Cal an additional $20,000.

Under the terms of the settlement, Mex-Cal has agreed to pay $33,750 to the California Air Pollution Control Fund. In addition, $5,000 will be paid to the Office of the California Attorney General for legal fees and $11,250 to the Peralta Community College District. Mex-Cal Truckline also agreed to comply with all of CARB’s current and future applicable regulations.

Service Rock Products paid $42,000 to settle truck emissions violations that occurred in the high-desert area of California in 2005 and 2006. Service Rock Products, based in Victorville, Calif., provides concrete, aggregate and other building supplies to clients as well as offering material transport service. An CARB enforcement audit found that the company had not been inspecting its trucks annually for smoke emissions.

As part of the settlement, Service Rock employees responsible for the inspections must attend a mandatory class on diesel emissions within the next year. The company also must provide documentation to CARB that the inspections are being carried out for the next four years. Lastly, Service Rock must ensure all its diesel trucks are up to federal emissions standards for the vehicle model year and are labeled properly with an emissions control label.

Per the terms of the settlement, Service Rock will pay $42,000 in penalties; $31,500 will go to the California Air Pollution Control Fund, with the remaining $10,500 to Peralta Community College District.

CARB issues $330,000 in emissions fines

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