California set to release new emissions standards for diesel lift trucks

-- Modern Materials Handling, 4/1/2007

Extending its drive to improve air quality, the California Air Resources Board (CARB, www.arb.ca.gov) is planning to adopt new fleet average emission targets for diesel-powered vehicles, including lift trucks, in early May.

The new ruling is a follow-on to CARB’s ruling last year to reduce emissions for non-diesel lift trucks.

As it is written now, the new standard applies to particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen emissions from all diesel-powered vehicles with 25 horsepower or greater. In addition, the new rule requires vehicles to be shut down rather than allowed to idle for more than 5 minutes, unless such idling is necessary for proper operation of the vehicle.

While the rule on idling would begin in 2008 and apply to all diesel trucks, the emissions standards would be phased in over several years depending on fleet size, according to CARB. The largest fleets, those with more than 20,000 horsepower, would have to meet the new fleet average targets on March 1, 2009. Medium fleets, those with more than 1,500 and less than 20,000 horsepower, would have to comply by March 1, 2010. Small fleets, less than 1,500 horsepower, would have until March 1, 2012 to meet the targets.

All fleets would be required to meet fleet average emission targets for particulate matter. Large and medium fleets would also be required to meet targets for oxides of nitrogen. Over the next few years, the targets decline, requiring lower fleet average emissions.

To meet the standards, CARB says users have three options: retrofit lift trucks with emission control devices, repower trucks with cleaner engines or replace lift trucks with cleaner vehicles.