(c) Definitions
(1) " Agricultural operations" means (1) the
growing or harvesting of crops from soil (including forest operations) and the
raising of plants at wholesale nurseries, but not retail nurseries), or the
raising of fowl or animals for the primary purpose of making a profit,
providing a livelihood, or conducting agricultural research or instruction by
an educational institution, or (2) agricultural crop preparation services such
as packinghouses, cotton gins, nut hullers and processors, dehydrators, and
feed and grain mills. Agricultural crop preparation services include only the
first processing after harvest, not subsequent processing, canning, or other
similar activities. For forest operations, agricultural crop preparation
services include milling, peeling, producing particleboard and medium density
fiberboard, and producing woody landscape materials.
For purposes of this regulation, a vehicle that is used by
its owner for both agricultural and nonagricultural operations is considered to
be a vehicle engaged in agricultural operations, only if over half of its
annual operating hours are for agricultural operations.
(2) " Airport ground support equipment" (GSE)
is mobile diesel-fueled off-road compression ignition vehicles used to service
and support aircraft operations. GSE vehicles perform a variety of functions,
including but not limited to: aircraft maintenance, pushing or towing aircraft,
transporting cargo to and from aircraft, loading cargo, and baggage handling.
GSE vehicles include equipment types such as baggage tugs, belt loaders, and
cargo loaders.
(3) " Alternative
diesel fuel" means any fuel used in a compression ignition engine that is not a
reformulated diesel fuel as defined in title 13, CCR, sections 2281 and 2282,
and does not require engine or fuel system modifications for the engine to
operate, although minor modifications (e.g., recalibration of the engine fuel
control) may enhance performance. Examples of alternative diesel fuels include,
but are not limited to, biodiesel, Fischer-Tropsch fuels, and emulsions of
water in diesel fuel. A diesel fuel containing a fuel additive will be treated
as an alternative diesel fuel unless:
(A) the
additive is supplied to the vehicle or engine fuel by an on-board dosing
mechanism, or
(B) the additive is
directly mixed into the base fuel inside the fuel tank of the vehicle or
engine, or
(C) the additive and
base fuel are not mixed until engine fueling commences, and no more additive
plus base fuel combination is mixed than required for a single fueling of a
single engine or vehicle.
(4) " Alternative fuel" means natural gas,
propane, ethanol, methanol, gasoline (when used in hybrid electric vehicles
only), hydrogen, electricity, fuel cells, or advanced technologies that do not
rely on diesel fuel. "Alternative fuel" also means any of these fuels used in
combination with each other or in combination with other non-diesel
fuels.
(5) " Best available control
technology" (BACT)means Verified Diesel Emission Control Strategy (VDECS) and
turnover requirements in section 2449.1(b).
(6) " Captive attainment area fleet" means a
fleet or fleet portion, as defined under section 2449(c)(20), in which all of
the vehicles in the fleet or fleet portion operate exclusively within the
following counties: Alpine, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen,
Mendocino, Modoc, Monterey, Plumas, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara,
Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tehama, Yuba, and the portion of
Sonoma County that lies within the boundaries of the North Coast Air Basin. A
fleet or identified fleet portion that operates one or more vehicles outside
the counties and area listed above is not a captive attainment area fleet.
Captive attainment area fleets shall be treated as small fleets even if their
total max hp exceeds 2,500 hp. All fleets owned by the United States, the State
of California, or agencies thereof (i.e., an agency in the judicial,
legislative, or executive branch of the federal or state government) are
considered to be large fleets (per section 2449(c)(24)(A)), and vehicles owned
by such fleets, regardless of whether they operate exclusively within the above
counties and area, are not part of a captive attainment area fleet.
(7) " Carryover BACT credit", as calculated
under section2449.1(b)(8), means a way of tracking turnover or VDECS
installations accomplished in excess of the BACT requirements. Fleets may take
credit for such excess turnover or VDECS installations to do less turnover or
VDECS installations in later years.
(8) " Combat and tactical support equipment"
means equipment that meets military specifications, is owned by the U.S.
Department of Defense and/or the U.S. military services or its allies, and is
used in combat, combat support, combat service support, tactical or relief
operations or training for such operations.
(9) " Common ownership or control" means
being owned or managed day to day by the same person, corporation, partnership,
or association. Vehicles managed by the same directors, officers, or managers,
or by corporations controlled by the same majority stockholders are considered
to be under common ownership or control even if their title is held by
different business entities.
(10) "
Compression ignition engine" means an internal combustion engine with operating
characteristics significantly similar to the theoretical diesel combustion
cycle. The regulation of power by controlling fuel supply in lieu of a throttle
is indicative of a compression ignition engine.
(11) " Dedicated snow removal vehicle" means
a vehicle that is operated exclusively to remove snow from public roads,
private roads, or other paths from which snow must be cleared to allow on-road
vehicle access. Dedicated snow removal vehicles must have permanently affixed
snow removal equipment such as a snow blower or auger and may include, but are
not limited to, motor graders, loaders, and snow blowers.
(12) " Diesel fuel" has the same meaning as
defined in title 13, CCR, sections 2281 and
2282.
(13) " Diesel particulate filter" means an
emission control strategy that reduces diesel particulate matter emissions by
directing all of the exhaust through a filter that physically captures
particles but permits gases to flow through. Periodically, the collected
particles are either physically removed or oxidized (burned off) in a process
called regeneration.
(14) " Diesel
particulate matter" (diesel PM) means the particles found in the exhaust of
diesel-fueled compression ignition engines. Diesel PM may agglomerate and
adsorb other species to form structures of complex physical and chemical
properties. The Air Resources Board (ARB) has identified diesel PM as a toxic
air contaminant.
(15) " Emergency
operation" means helping alleviate an immediate threat to public health or
safety. Examples of emergency operation include repairing or preventing damage
to roads, buildings, terrain, and infrastructure as a result of an earthquake,
flood, storm, fire, other infrequent act of nature, or terrorism. Routine
maintenance or construction to prevent public health risks does not constitute
emergency operation.
(16) "
Emission factor" means NOx emission rate in grams per brake-horsepower hour
(g/bhp-hr) as shown in Appendix A. Engines certified to Family Emission Limits
and flexibility engines must still use the emission factors in Appendix
A.
(17) " Equipment identification
number" means a unique identification number assigned by ARB to each vehicle in
an owner's fleet subject to this regulation. All reporting and recordkeeping
will link vehicle data with this number.
(18) " Executive Officer" means the Executive
Officer of the ARB or his or her authorized representative.
(19) " Family emission limit" (FEL) means an
emission level that is declared by the manufacturer to serve in lieu of an
emission standard for certification purposes and for the averaging, banking,
and trading program, as defined in title 13, CCR, section 2423.
(20) " Fleet" means all off-road vehicles and
engines owned by a person, business, or government agency that are operated
within California and are subject to the regulation. A fleet may consist of one
or more vehicles. A fleet does not include vehicles that have never operated in
California.
"Fleet portions" - means that part of a fleet for which
daily operations and dispatching are managed by different responsible officials
because they are part of different subsidiaries, divisions, or other
organizational substructures of a parent company, corporation or agency, which
owns or controls the operations of the subsidiary, division, or organizational
substructure, and the parent company, corporation, or agency elects to have
some or all the fleet portions comply with the performance requirements
separately and be reported separately. A fleet may have some fleet portions
that meet the definition of captive attainment area fleet and some fleet
portions that do not. However, the total max hp of the vehicles under common
ownership or control of the parent company, corporation, or agency determines
the fleet size. Once a fleet begins to comply and report separately as fleet
portions, the fleet portions must continue to comply and report separately, and
the fleet portions must meet the adding vehicle requirements in
section2449(d)(6) just as if they were separate fleets.
(21) " Fleet average index" means an
indicator of a fleet's overall emission rate. The fleet average index for a
specific fleet is determined by summing (adding) the product of the max hp of
each engine times the emission factor, and dividing by the fleet's total max
hp.
(22) " Fleet average target
rate" means the fleet average that a specific fleet must meet in a compliance
year in order to show compliance with the fleet average requirements. The fleet
average target rate varies depending on a fleet's hp distribution. The fleet
average target rate for a specific fleet for each compliance year is determined
by summing (adding) the product of the max hp of each engine times the target,
and dividing the resulting sum by the fleet's total max hp.
(23) " Fleet owner" means, except as
qualified below, the person who owns and has possession of the vehicles in the
fleet.
"Rental or Leased Fleets" - Vehicles that are owned by a
rental or leasing company and that are leased by the same lessee for a period
of one year or more may be excluded from the rental company fleet and included
in the fleet of the lessee only if such arrangement is delineated in the
written lease agreement.
Vehicles that are rented or leased for a period of less
than one year must be included in the fleet of the rental or leasing company.
Off-road vehicles and engines subject to this regulation that are owned by a
lessor and leased to a lessee under a "lease" as defined in California Uniform
Commercial Code, section
10103(a)(10),
for a duration of at least one year, dated prior to the effective date of these
regulations, are considered part of the fleet of the lessee rather than the
lessor.
(24) " Fleet size
category" - means fleets are classified by size as described below. A fleet
must meet large fleet requirements if the total vehicles under common ownership
or control would be defined as a large fleet. A fleet must meet medium fleet
requirements if the total vehicles under common ownership or control would be
defined as a medium fleet. Individual federal or state agencies may report as
separate fleets, but all vehicles owned by agencies of the United States or the
State of California agencies must meet the large fleet requirements. Permanent
and year-by-year low-use vehicles, dedicated snow-removal vehicles, and
vehicles used solely for emergency operations need not be included in the total
max hp used to classify fleets by size.
(A)
"Large fleet" - A fleet with a total max hp (as defined below) greater than
5,000 hp. A fleet must meet large fleet requirements if the total vehicles
under common ownership or control would be defined as a large fleet. All fleets
owned by the United States, the State of California, or agencies thereof (i.e.,
an agency in the judicial, legislative, or executive branch of the federal or
state government) will be considered as a unit whole and must meet the large
fleet requirements.
(B) "Medium
fleet" - A fleet that is not a small or large fleet.
(C) "Small fleet" - A fleet with total max hp
of less than or equal to 2,500 hp that is owned by a business, non-profit
organization, or local municipality, a local municipality fleet in a low
population county irrespective of total max hp, a non-profit training center
irrespective of total max hp, or a captive attainment area fleet irrespective
of total max hp.
(25) "
Flexibility engine" means an engine certified to the implementation flexibility
standards in title 13, CCR, section 2423(d).
"Post-2007 flexibility engine" - A flexibility engine
certified on or after January 1, 2007. Such flexibility engines are generally
labeled as follows by the engine manufacturer:
"THIS ENGINE COMPLIES WITH CALIFORNIA EMISSION REQUIREMENTS
UNDER 13 CCR 2423(d). . ." or "THIS ENGINE CONFORMS TO CALIFORNIA OFF-ROAD
COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINE REGULATIONS UNDER 13 CCR, 2423(d)."
(26) " Forest operations" means
(A) forest fire prevention activities performed by public agencies, including
but not limited to construction and maintenance of roads, fuel breaks,
firebreaks, and fire hazard abatement or (B) cutting or removal or both of
timber, other solid wood products, including Christmas trees, and biomass from
forestlands for commercial purposes, together with all the work incidental
thereto, including but not limited to, construction and maintenance of roads,
fuel breaks, firebreaks, stream crossings, landings, skid trails, beds for
falling trees, fire hazard abatement, and site preparation that involves
disturbance of soil or burning of vegetation following forest removal
activities. Forest operations include the cutting or removal of trees, tops,
limbs and or brush which is processed into lumber and other wood products, and
or for landscaping materials, or biomass for electrical power generation.
Forest operations do not include conversion of forestlands to other land uses
such as residential or commercial developments.
(27) " Hour meter log" means a log of the
hours that a vehicle operated directly taken from the vehicle's hour
meter.
(28) " Implement of
husbandry" is as defined in California Vehicle Code (Veh.Code) division
16.
(29) " Local municipality"
means a city, county, city and county, special district, or other public
agency, or two or more public entities acting jointly, or the duly constituted
body of an Indian reservation or rancheria. Agencies of the United States of
America or the State of California, and departments, divisions, public
corporations, or public agencies of this State or of the United States are not
considered local municipalities.
(30) " Low-population county local
municipality fleet" means a fleet owned by a local municipality (as defined
above) that is located in a county as defined in title 13, CCR, section
2022(b)(4) and identified in section
2022.1(c)(2), Table 2, or, using
the criteria set forth in title 13, CCR, section 2022.1(c)(4), a local
municipality not located in a low-population county that has requested and has
received Executive Officer approval to be treated like a municipality in a
low-population county. Fleets owned by such local municipalities shall be
treated as small fleets even if their total max hp exceeds 2,500 hp.
(31) " Maximum power" (max hp)means the
engine's net horsepower (hp) or net flywheel power certified to Society of
Automotive Engineers (SAE) Method J1349 or International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) Method 9249. If the engine's net hp or net flywheel power
certified to SAE Method J1349 or ISO Method 9249 is not readily available,
another net hp or net flywheel power from the manufacturer's sales and service
literature or hp from the engine label may be used.
(32) " Model year" has the same meaning as
defined in title 13, CCR, section 2421(a)(37).
(33) " Motor vehicle" has the same meaning as
defined in Veh. Code section 415.
(34) " New fleet" means a fleet that is
acquired or that enters California on or after January 1, 2012. Such fleets may
include new businesses or out-of-state businesses that bring vehicles into
California for the first time on or after January 1, 2012.
(35) " Non-profit training center" means an
entity that operates a program for training in the use of off-road vehicles and
that (A) is a community college program that trains students in the use of
off-road vehicles or (B) qualifies as a non profit or not for profit
organization under title 26 Internal Revenue Code section 501(a), (c)(3),
(c)(5), or (c)(6). Any vehicles that are not used for an off-road training
program are not considered part of a non-profit training center and must be
considered a separate fleet.
(36) "
Off-highway vehicle" is defined in Veh. Code division 16.5.
(37) " Operator log" means a log of the hours
that a vehicle operated taken from records of vehicle operator hours.
(38) " Oxides of nitrogen" (NOx) means
compounds of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other oxides of nitrogen.
Nitrogen oxides are typically created during combustion processes and are major
contributors to smog formation and acid deposition.
(39) " Permanent low-use vehicle" means a
vehicle that a fleet owner has designated as operating less than 200 hours a
calendar year, for all years subsequent to the designation. For example, if a
fleet designates a vehicle as permanent low-use at any point in 2014, that
vehicle can only be used less than 200 hours in any calendar year from 2015
onwards. To be considered a permanent low-use vehicle, the fleet owner must
submit the engine hours of operation from a functioning non-resettable hour
meter.
(A) Vehicles used outside California -
Vehicles that operate both inside and outside of California can meet the
permanent low-use vehicle definition if they are used less than 200 hours per
year in California.
(B) Emergency
operation hours - Hours used for emergency operations are not counted when
determining permanent low-use status.
(C) Future increase in hours - Once
designated as permanent low-use, a vehicle may only be used up to 200 hours per
year by the fleet unless the vehicle meets the adding vehicles requirements in
section2449(d)(6). If the vehicle meets the adding vehicle requirements, the
fleet may increase the use to 200 hours or more per year, and report the
updated status of the vehicle to remove the low-use designation.
(D) No obligation - A fleet is not obliged to
designate a vehicle whose use drops below 200 hours per year as a permanent
low-use vehicle. If such a vehicle is not designated as permanent low-use, its
use may increase to 200 hours or more per year in subsequent years without
meeting the adding vehicles requirements in section 2449(d)(6).
(E) Two-engine vehicles - Both engines of
two-engine vehicles must each operate less than 200 hours per year in order for
the vehicle to be considered a permanent low-use vehicle.
(40) " Queuing" means the intermittent
starting and stopping of a vehicle while the driver, in the normal course of
doing business, is waiting to perform work or a service, and when shutting the
vehicle engine off would impede the progress of the queue and is not
practicable. Queuing does not include the time a driver may wait motionless in
line in anticipation of the start of a workday or opening of a location where
work or a service will be performed.
(41) " Registered and driven safely on-road"
means a vehicle meets the requirements to be registered for on-road operation
in Veh. Code division 3, chap. 1, article 1, sections 4000 et seq. (i.e.,
required to be registered or could be registered), and the requirements to be
driven safely on-road in "Equipment of Vehicles" requirements in Veh. Code
division 12, chap. 1, sections 24000 et seq. and "Size, Weight, and Load"
requirements in Veh. Code division 15, sections 35000 et seq. Having a
California Special Construction Equipment plate as defined in California Veh.
Code sections 565 and 570 does not constitute registration.
(42) " Replacement" means the addition of
off-road diesel vehicles to a fleet that had retired one or more off-road
diesel vehicles of an equivalent hp in a given year.
(43) " Repower" means to replace the engine
in a vehicle with another engine meeting a subsequent engine emissions standard
(e.g., replacing a Tier 0 engine with a Tier 2 or later engine).
(44) " Responsible official" means one of the
following:
(A) For a corporation: A president,
secretary, treasurer, or vice president of the corporation in charge of a
principal business function, or any other person who performs similar policy or
decision-making functions for the corporation.
(B) For a partnership or sole proprietorship:
a general partner or the proprietor, respectively.
(C) For a municipality, state, federal, or
other public agency: either a principal executive officer or ranking elected
official. For the purposes of this part, a principal executive officer of a
federal agency includes the chief executive officer having responsibility for
the overall operations of a principal geographic unit of the agency (e.g., a
Regional Administrator of the U.S. EPA).
(45) " Retire or retirement" means removal of
an engine from fleet service, so that the engine is not subsequently operated
by the fleet in the State of California. To retire an engine, the vehicle with
the engine may be moved outside of California, sold to another fleet (in or
outside California), or scrapped. The return of a rented or leased vehicle by a
fleet to a rental or leasing company is not considered to be a retirement.
Similarly, the rental or leasing of a vehicle by a rental or leasing company
does not count as a retirement for the rental or leasing company.
(46) " Snow removal operations" means
removing snow from public roads, private roads, or driveways.
(47) " Specialty vehicle" means a vehicle for
which no used vehicle with a cleaner engine that can serve an equivalent
function and perform equivalent work is available.
(48) " Tier 0 engine" means an engine not
subject to the requirements in title 13, CCR, section 2423; Title 40, Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 89; or Title 40, CFR, Part 1039.
(49) " Tier 1 engine" means an engine subject
to the Tier 1 new engine emission standards in title 13, CCR, section
2423(b)(1)(A) and/or Title 40, CFR, Part 89.112(a). This also includes engines
certified under the averaging, banking, and trading program with respect to the
Tier 1 Family Emission Limits (FEL) listed in title 13, CCR, section
2423(b)(2)(A) and/or Title 40, CFR, Part 89.112(d).
(50) " Tier 2 engine" means an engine subject
to the Tier 2 new engine emission standards in title 13, CCR, section
2423(b)(1)(A) and/or Title 40, CFR, Part 89.112(a). This also includes engines
certified under the averaging, banking, and trading program with respect to the
Tier 2 FEL listed in title 13, CCR, section 2423(b)(2)(A) and/or Title 40, CFR,
Part 89.112(d).
(51) " Tier 3
engine" means an engine subject to the Tier 3 new engine emission standards in
title 13, CCR, section 2423(b)(1)(A) and/or Title 40, CFR, Part 89.112(a). This
also includes engines certified under the averaging, banking, and trading
program with respect to the Tier 3 FEL listed in title 13, CCR, section
2423(b)(2)(A) and/or Title 40, CFR, Part 89.112(d).
(52) " Tier 4 final engine" means an engine
subject to the final after-treatment-based Tier 4 emission standards in title
13, CCR, section2423(b)(1)(B) and/or Title 40, CFR, Part 1039.101. This also
includes engines certified under the averaging, banking, and trading program
with respect to the Tier 4 FEL listed in title 13, CCR, section 2423(b)(2)(B)
and/or Title 40, CFR, Part 1039.101.
(53) " Tier 4 Interim engine" means an engine
subject to the interim Tier 4 emission standards (also known as transitional)
in title 13, CCR, section 2423(b)(1)(B) and/or Title 40, CFR, Part 1039.101.
This also includes engines certified under the averaging, banking, and trading
program with respect to the Tier 4 FEL listed in title 13, CCR, section
2423(b)(2)(B) and/or Title 40, CFR, Parts 1039.102 and 1039.104(g).
(54) " Total maximum power" (total max
hp)means the sum of the max hp for all of a fleet's engines that are subject to
this regulation. Permanent and year-by-year low-use vehicles, dedicated
snow-removal vehicles, and vehicles used solely for emergency operations shall
not be included in the sum.
(55) "
Turnover" means retiring a vehicle, designating a vehicle as a permanent
low-use vehicle, repowering a vehicle with a higher tier engine, or rebuilding
the engine to a more stringent emissions configuration. Rented or leased
vehicles that are returned to a rental or leasing company do not count as
turnover for the lessee. Similarly, vehicles leased or rented out by a rental
or leasing company do not count as turnover for the rental or leasing
company.
(56) " Two-engine crane"
means a mobile diesel-powered machine with a hoisting mechanism mounted on a
specially constructed truck chassis or carrier; one engine provides motive
power, and a secondary (auxiliary) engine 50 bhp or greater that is used to
lift and move materials and objects.
(57) " Two-engine vehicle" means a specially
constructed on-road or off-road mobile diesel-powered vehicle that was designed
by the original equipment manufacturer to be equipped with two diesel engines:
one engine provides the primary source of motive power of the vehicle while the
second engine is an auxiliary engine 50 bhp or greater that is permanently
attached and integrated into the design of the vehicle to perform a specific
function, which may include providing auxiliary power to attachments,
performing special job functions, or providing additional motive
power.
(58) " Two-engine water-well
drilling rig" means a mobile diesel-powered drilling rig owned by a water well
drilling contractor with a current, valid C-57 license issued by the
Contractors State License Board of California and used exclusively to drill
water wells with a drilling mechanism mounted on a specialty constructed truck
chassis or carrier; one engine provides motive power, and a secondary
(auxiliary) engine 50 bhp or greater that is used to power the drilling
mechanism.
(59) " Verified diesel
emission control strategy" (VDECS)means an emissions control strategy that has
been verified pursuant to the "Verification Procedures, Warranty and In-Use
Compliance Requirements for In-Use Strategies to Control Emission from Diesel
Engines" (Verification Procedure), title 13, CCR, sections 2700-2710. VDECS can
be verified to reduce PM emissions, or NOx emissions, or both.
(A) " Highest level PM VDECS" means the
highest level VDECS verified by ARB to reduce PM under its Verification
Procedure. The highest level is determined solely based on verified diesel PM
reductions, not based on verified NOx reductions. VDECS can be verified to
achieve Level 1 diesel PM reductions (at least 25 percent), Level 2 diesel PM
reductions (at least 50 percent), or Level 3 diesel PM reductions (at least 85
percent). All Level 3 diesel PM devices are higher than all Level 2 diesel PM
devices. Level 1 PM devices are never considered highest level PM VDECS for the
purpose of this regulation. "Plus" designations do not matter; that is, a Level
3 Plus is the same diesel PM level as Level 3; and Level 2 Plus is the same
diesel PM level as Level 2. A PM VDECS shall be considered the highest level PM
VDECS only if (1) it can be used without impairing the safe operation of the
vehicle as demonstrated per section 2449(e)(8), and (2) the diesel
emission-control strategy manufacturer and authorized diesel emission-control
strategy dealer agree it can be used on a specific engine and vehicle
combination without jeopardizing the original engine warranty in effect at the
time of application.
(B) " VDECS
verified to reduce NOx" means VDECS verified by ARB to reduce NOx under its
Verification Procedure. NOx VDECS are not verified by Level, but are verified
by the percent reduction in NOx emissions from the engine achieved by the
VDECS. See also definition of Verified Percent NOx Reduction.
(60) " Verified percent NOx
reduction" means the verified percent reduction in NOx emissions from the
engine achieved by the VDECS verified to reduce NOx.
(61) " VDECS failure" means the condition of
a VDECS not achieving the emissions reductions to which the VDECS is verified.
Such a condition could be due to inappropriate installation, damage, or
deterioration during use. If a Level 3 VDECS is emitting visible smoke, it
shall be assumed to have failed.
(62) " Workover rig" means a mobile
self-propelled rig used to perform one or more remedial operations, such as
deepening, plugging back, pulling and resetting liners, on a producing oil or
gas well to try to restore or increase the well's production.
(63) " Year-by-year low-use vehicle" means a
vehicle that operated in California less than 200 hours during the preceding
12-month calendar year. For example, when reporting in 2014, the hours of use
between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013 would be used to determine
year-by-year low-use status. To be considered a year-by-year low-use vehicle,
the fleet owner must annually submit engine operation data from a functioning
non-resettable hour meter.
(A) Vehicles used
outside California - Vehicles that operate both inside and outside of
California can meet the year-by-year low-use vehicle definition if they are
used less than 200 hours per year in California.
(B) Three-year rolling average - A vehicle
operated only in California for the previous three years and owned by the same
owner during that period will be considered year-by-year low-use if it operated
on average less than 200 hours per year during that previous three-year
period.
(C) Emergency operation
hours - Hours used for emergency operations are not counted when determining
year-by-year low-use status.
(E)
Two-engine vehicles - Both engines of two-engine vehicles must each operate
less than 200 hours per year in order for the vehicle to be considered a
year-by-year low-use vehicle.
(d) Performance Requirements -
Fleets that are subject to fleet average requirements in
section 2449.1(a) may include vehicles and systems used in place of diesel
vehicles in their fleet average index and target rate calculations as described
in subsection (1) below. Each fleet must meet the performance requirements in
subsections (2) to (9) below. There are differing requirements for large,
medium, and small fleets. As stated in section 2449(c)(20), fleet portions may
comply with the performance requirements separately and be reported separately.
Captive attainment area fleets, non-profit training centers, and fleets owned
by low-population county local municipalities are subject to the small fleet
requirements, even if their total max hp exceeds 2,500 hp. Section 2449(d)(3)
describes requirements for fleets that change in size.
(1) Vehicles and Systems Used in Place of
Diesel Vehicles - Fleets with electric, alternative fuel, or gasoline-powered
vehicles may include such vehicles in their fleet average index and target rate
calculations as follows:
(A) Alternative Fuel
and Gasoline-Powered Vehicles
1. Fleets may
include an alternative fuel or gasoline-powered vehicle with a max hp 25 hp or
greater or that replaced a diesel vehicle with max hp 25 hp or greater in their
fleet average index if all of the following conditions are met:
a. The owner can demonstrate it serves a
function and performs the work equivalent to that of diesel vehicles and is
used for a purpose for which diesel vehicles are predominantly used,
b. The vehicle is used predominantly
outdoors,
c. The vehicle is not
already included in the fleet average emission level requirements for Large
Spark Ignition Engine Fleets in title 13, Section 2775.1; and
d. The owner must demonstrate that it is
certified to a NOx standard less than or equal to the Tier 1 NOx standard for
the same hp in title 13, CCR, section 2423(b)(1)(A) and is less than or equal
to the NOx emissions of a diesel engine of the same model year and
hp.
e. If the vehicle is a
gasoline-powered vehicle, the owner must identify the diesel vehicle that the
gasoline-powered vehicle replaced and maintain records documenting the function
of the diesel vehicle replaced and the gasoline-powered replacement vehicle,
and the dates of sale and purchase for both vehicles.
2. Fleets may include a diesel vehicle with a
max hp 25 hp or greater that has been repowered with an alternative fueled or
gasoline-powered engine in their fleet average index and target rate
calculations.
3. For the purposes
of compliance with section2449.1(a):
a.
Alternative fuel vehicles - Each alternative fuel vehicle, or diesel vehicle
that has been repowered with an alternative fuel engine, shall use an emission
factor equal to the NOx emission standard to which its engine is certified in
g/bhp-hr. If the alternative fuel vehicle or engine is not certified to a NOx
emission standard, the owner may apply to the Executive Officer to use an
emission factor. In the application, the owner must demonstrate that the chosen
emission factor is appropriate and not exceeded by the alternative fuel
vehicle.
b. Gasoline-powered
vehicles - Each gasoline powered vehicle, or vehicle that has been repowered
with a gasoline-powered engine, shall use an emission factor equal to the
gasoline-powered vehicle's or engine's HC+NOx certified emission standard in
g/bhp-hr multiplied by 0.95.
4. Fleets may include a diesel vehicle with a
max hp 25 hp or greater that has been converted to alternative fuel or
gasoline-power in their fleet average index and target rate calculations. The
emission factor remains the same as the emission factor for the diesel
vehicle.
(B) Electric
Vehicles
1. Fleets may include an electric
vehicle with a max hp 25 hp or greater or that replaced a diesel vehicle with
max hp 25 hp or greater in their fleet average index if all the following
conditions are met:
a. The owner can
demonstrate it serves a function and performs the work equivalent to that of
diesel vehicles and is used for a purpose for which diesel vehicles are
predominantly used;
b. The electric
vehicle is used predominately outdoors; and
c. Except as provided in section
2449(d)(1)(B)2.a., the electric vehicle is not already included in the fleet
average emission level requirements for Large Spark Ignition Engine Fleets in
title 13, section2775.1.
2. For the purposes of compliance with
sections 2449.1(a), electric vehicles shall be credited as follows:
a. GSE Electric Vehicles Purchased Prior to
January 1, 2007 - Electric airport GSE vehicles with a max hp of 25 hp or
greater or that replaced a diesel vehicle with max hp 25 hp or greater
purchased prior to January 1, 2007, may be partially counted in the fleet
average calculations as follows:
i. Max Hp
for Electric Vehicles - For an electric vehicle that replaced a diesel vehicle
in the owner's fleet, the max hp of the diesel vehicle replaced may be used as
the electric vehicle's max hp. Otherwise, the electric vehicle's own max hp
rating shall be used.
ii. Include
such vehicle's max hp times 0.2 as the max hp in calculating the fleet average
index and target rate in section 2449.1(a), along with an emission factor of
0.
b. Non-GSE Electric
Vehicles Purchased Prior to January 1, 2007 - Electric vehicles with a max hp
of 25 hp or greater purchased prior to January 1, 2007 that replaced a diesel
vehicle with max hp 25 hp or greater, may be counted in the fleet average
calculations as follows:
i. Max Hp for
Electric Vehicles - For an electric vehicle that replaced a diesel vehicle in
the owner's fleet, the max hp of the diesel vehicle replaced may be used as the
electric vehicle's max hp. Otherwise, the electric vehicle's own max rating
shall be used.
ii. Include such
vehicle's max hp as the max hp in calculating the fleet average index and
target rate in section 2449.1(a), along with an emission factor of 0.
c. Electric Vehicles Purchased on
or after January 1, 2007
i. Max Hp for
Electric Vehicles - For an electric vehicle that replaced a diesel vehicle in
the owner's fleet, the max hp of the diesel vehicle replaced may be used as the
electric vehicle's max hp. For an electric vehicle added to the fleet that did
not replace a diesel vehicle, the fleet owner may apply to the Executive
Officer to use the max hp of a diesel vehicle that serves the same function and
performs equivalent work to that of the electric vehicle. In making his or her
determination, the Executive Officer will approve the use of the minimum max hp
of a diesel vehicle that would be required to perform the same functions and
equivalent work. If no request to the Executive Officer is received, the
electric vehicle's own max hp rating shall be used.
ii. Double Credit for Electric in 2014-2016 -
For compliance dates in 2014 through 2016, the max hp of all electric vehicles
purchased on or after January 1, 2007 may be doubled in determining the max hp
that is used in calculating the fleet average index. An emission factor of 0
may be used. The max hp of each electric vehicle is included but not doubled in
the calculation of fleet average target rate.
iii. Single Credit for Electric in 2017 and
Later - For compliance dates in year 2017 and later, the max hp of all electric
vehicles purchased on or after January 1, 2007 is used in determining the max
hp that is used in calculating the fleet average index and target rate. An
emission factor of 0 may be used.
3. Electric vehicles need not be included
when determining fleet size, or when calculating the required hp for the BACT
requirements in section 2449.1(b).
(C) Stationary or Portable System Used to
Replace Mobile Diesel Vehicle Fleet owners may apply to the Executive Officer
to include electric portable or electric stationary systems that replace mobile
diesel vehicles, such as an electric conveyor system used to replace diesel
haul trucks at a mine, in the fleet average calculations. The system may be
considered in the fleet average calculations by including the max hp of the
diesel vehicles replaced in the calculations of the fleet average index and
target rate above, along with an emission factor of 0. In order to count such a
system, all the following conditions must be met:
1. The owner must demonstrate that it
replaced an off-road diesel fueled vehicle subject to this regulation on or
after January 1, 2007, and
2. The
system is not already counted toward the fleet average emission level
requirements for large spark ignition engine fleets in title 13, CCR, section
2775.1 or for portable diesel engine fleets in title 17, CCR, section
93116.3.
(D) Hybrid
Off-Road Vehicles
Fleets may include a hybrid off-road diesel vehicle with a
max hp 25 hp or greater in their fleet average index and target rate
calculation. The emission factor for the hybrid vehicle shall be equal to the
NOx emission standard to which its engine is certified in g/bhp-hr. If a fleet
owner wishes to use different emission factor, other than the standard to which
the engine is certified, the owner may apply to the Executive Officer to use an
alternative emission factor. The Executive Officer shall approve the
alternative emission factor if, in the fleet owner's application, the owner
demonstrates that the chosen emission factor is appropriate and not exceeded by
the hybrid vehicle.
(2) Idling - The idling limits in section
2449(d)(2) shall be effective and enforceable immediately upon this regulation
being certified by the Secretary of State. Fleets must meet the following
idling limits.
(A) Idling Limit - No vehicle
or engines subject to this regulation may idle for more than 5 consecutive
minutes. Idling of a vehicle that is owned by a rental company is the
responsibility of the renter or lessee, and the rental agreement shall so
indicate. The idling limit does not apply to:
1. idling when queuing,
2. idling to verify that the vehicle is in
safe operating condition,
3. idling
for testing, servicing, repairing or diagnostic purposes,
4. idling necessary to accomplish work for
which the vehicle was designed (such as operating a crane),
5. idling required to bring the machine
system to operating temperature, and
6. idling necessary to ensure safe operation
of the vehicle.
(B)
Written Idling Policy - As of March 1, 2009, medium and large fleets must also
have a written idling policy that is made available to operators of the
vehicles and informs them that idling is limited to 5 consecutive minutes or
less.
(C) Waiver - A fleet owner
may apply to the Executive Officer for a waiver to allow additional idling in
excess of 5 consecutive minutes. The Executive Officer shall grant such a
request upon finding that the fleet owner has provided sufficient justification
that such idling is necessary.
(3) Changing Fleet Size -
(A) Small fleets that become medium or large
fleets must meet the medium or large fleet requirements, respectively, on the
reporting date two years subsequent to the year they became a medium or large
fleet.
(B) Large fleets that become
medium fleets may meet either the medium or large fleet requirements on the
next reporting date. Large fleets that become small fleets may meet either the
small or large fleet requirements on the next reporting date.
(C) Medium fleets that become small fleets
may meet either the small or medium fleet requirements on the next reporting
date. Medium fleets that become large fleets must meet the large fleet
requirements on the reporting date two years subsequent to the year they became
a large fleet.
(4) New
Fleets
(A) New large and medium fleets - New
large and medium fleets must meet the next large fleet average requirement in
section2449.1(a)(1) immediately on purchasing vehicles subject to the
regulation or bringing such vehicles into the State of California for the first
time on or after January 1, 2012. New fleets do not have the option of
complying with the BACT requirements in section 2449.1(b) when they enter the
State for the first time. For the next applicable compliance date that must be
met, the new fleet can choose to meet either the fleet average requirements, or
comply with the BACT requirements of section 2449.1(b). For example, if a
medium fleet enters the State of California on January 1, 2012, it must meet
the January 1, 2014, large fleet average requirements immediately upon entering
the State. However, the next applicable compliance date for this fleet is not
until the first medium fleet compliance date of January 1, 2017, at which time,
the fleet may fulfill the compliance requirements by meeting either the fleet
average requirements or the BACT requirements.
(B) New small fleets - New small fleets must
meet the fleet average requirements in section 2449.1(a)(2) for the next small
fleet compliance date immediately upon purchasing vehicles subject to the
regulation or bringing such vehicles into the State of California for the first
time on or after January 1, 2012. New small fleets do not have the option of
complying with the BACT requirements in section 2449.1(b) when they enter the
State for the first time. For the next applicable compliance date that must be
met, the new fleet can meet either the fleet average requirements, or comply
with the BACT requirements.
(C) All
new fleets - New fleets must comply with the idling requirements in section
2449(d)(2), and the adding vehicle requirements in section 2449(d)(6),
immediately upon purchasing vehicles subject to the regulation or upon bringing
such vehicles into the State. New fleets must report vehicles subject to the
regulation to ARB within 30 days of purchasing or bringing such vehicles into
the State, in accordance with the requirements in section 2449(g).
(5) Fleet Ownership Transferred
(A) New fleet owner - If ownership of a fleet
a or fleet portion, which is complying and reporting separately per section
2449(c)(20), is transferred to a new fleet owner who did not own a fleet before
the transfer of ownership and the fleet or fleet portion was meeting the BACT
requirements in lieu of the fleet average requirements before the transfer, the
fleet may continue to meet the BACT requirements and is not required to meet
the fleet average requirements in section 2449.1(a) or adding vehicle
requirements in section 2449(d)(6) as new fleets are required to do. If a new
fleet owner who did not own a fleet before acquires a fleet or fleet portion
that did not previously comply with the regulation, or acquires a fleet portion
that is not complying and reporting separately per section 2449(c)(20), it must
meet the new fleet requirements in section 2449(d)(4) above.
(B) Existing fleets - Existing fleets may
acquire other fleets or fleet portions which are complying and reporting
separately per section 2449(c)(20), without condition if the existing fleet and
the acquired fleet were in compliance with the individual fleet requirements.
If existing fleets acquire a fleet or fleet portion that did not previously
comply with the regulation, or they acquire a fleet portion which is not
complying and reporting separately per section 2449(c)(20), they must meet the
requirements for adding vehicles in section 2449(d)(6) when adding the entire
fleet or fleet portion.
(C)
Existing BACT credits - If ownership of a fleet or fleet portion, which is
complying and reporting separately per section2449(c)(20), is transferred to a
new fleet owner and the transferred fleet or fleet portion had BACT credits,
the new fleet owner may maintain the BACT credits of the acquired fleet if the
acquired fleet or fleet portion continues to comply and report separately. The
new fleet owner may keep the acquired fleet separate from the rest of the
vehicles owned for the purposes of maintaining credits even if the vehicles are
under common ownership or control. If the new fleet owner combines the acquired
fleet or fleet portion for compliance and reporting purposes with the rest of
his vehicles, the acquired fleet or fleet portion shall maintain only the
credits accumulated from retrofits and repowers, and all other BACT credits
shall expire immediately.
(6) Adding Vehicles - With the exception
noted below for fleets owned by lessors of vehicles, the requirements in (A)
through (C) below apply to all fleets. Fleets owned by lessors are not subject
to (A) through (C) for vehicles owned by the lessor and returned to the lessor
fleet at the end of a lease if the vehicles were included in the fleet of the
lessee for the compliance year in question. Vehicles returned to a lessor fleet
must, however, be included in the lessor fleet's fleet average demonstration on
subsequent compliance dates. For the purposes of this requirement, a vehicle
may be assumed to meet the engine emission standard tier in effect for the
model year of the engine.
(A) Ban on adding
Tier 0s - Effective upon the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(U.S. EPA) issuing authorization for this regulation, a fleet may not add a
vehicle with a Tier 0 engine to its fleet. The engine tier must be Tier 1 or
higher.
(B) Ban on adding Tier 1s -
Beginning January 1, 2012, for large and medium fleets, a fleet may add a
vehicle with a Tier 1 engine if and only if the vehicle has an equipment
identification number (EIN) that ARB assigned to the vehicle prior to January
1, 2012, and both the fleet selling and the fleet purchasing the vehicle with
the Tier 1 engine must have reported to ARB by January 1, 2012, or have entered
the State of California for the first time after January 1, 2012. Beginning on
January 1, 2013, for large and medium fleets, and January 1, 2016, for small
fleets, a fleet may not add any vehicle with a Tier 1 engine. The engine tier
must be Tier 2 or higher.
(C) Ban
on adding Tier 2s - Beginning January 1, 2018, for large and medium fleets, and
January 1, 2023, for small fleets, a fleet may not add a vehicle with a Tier 2
engine to its fleet. The engine tier must be Tier 3 or higher.
(7) VDECS Installation - Before
installing a VDECS on a vehicle, the fleet owner must ensure that:
(A) The VDECS is verified for use with the
engine and vehicle, as described in the Executive Order for the
VDECS.
(B) Use of the vehicle is
consistent with the conditions of the Executive Order for the VDECS.
(C) The diesel emission control strategy is
installed in a verified configuration.
(D) The engine on which the VDECS is to be
installed is tuned up so that it meets engine manufacturer's specifications
prior to VDECS installation.
(E)
The VDECS label will be visible after installation.
(8) VDECS Maintenance and Removal - If a
fleet owner installs a VDECS to meet the requirements in section 2449.1, the
VDECS must be kept installed until the VDECS fails or is damaged unless the
requirements below are met. Requirements for VDECS failure or damage are in
section2449(e)(1). The owner of a vehicle with a VDECS must ensure all
maintenance on the VDECS and engine is performed as required by the respective
manufacturers.
(A) Removal for safety or
visibility purposes - If a fleet removes a VDECS for safety or visibility
purposes, and that VDECS has not failed and is not damaged, the fleet may keep
the BACT credit earned under section 2449.1(b) for the installation of the
removed VDECS. If the fleet could not meet an applicable fleet average target
for the most recent compliance date without the removed VDECS, the fleet owner
must bring the fleet back into compliance within 90 days of the removal of the
VDECS.
(B) Removal for other
purposes - If a fleet removes a VDECS for reasons other than safety or
visibility purposes, and that VDECS has not failed and is not damaged, the
fleet must forfeit any BACT credit earned under section 2449.1(b) from the
installation of the removed VDECS. If the fleet could not meet an applicable
compliance requirements under section 2449.1 for the most recent compliance
date without the removed VDECS and the forfeited BACT credit, the fleet must
bring the fleet back into compliance within 90 days of the removal of the
VDECS.
(9) Compliance
After the Final Target Date -
Commencing respectively on January 1, 2023, for large and
medium fleets, and on January 1, 2028, for small fleets, if a fleet does not
meet the applicable fleet average target rate for the final target date in
section2449.1(a), the fleet must continue
to meet the BACT requirements in section 2449.1(b) and report annually each
year until it does so. BACT carryover credit earned in previous years cannot be
used to meet compliance after the final target date. Vehicles exempt from BACT
under sections2449.1(b)(2) and (3) are exempt from the requirements of this
paragraph.
(e)
Special Provisions/Compliance Extensions
(1)
VDECS Failure - In the event of a failure or damage of a VDECS, the following
conditions apply:
(A) Failure or Damage During
the Warranty Period. If a VDECS fails or is damaged within its warranty period
and it cannot be repaired, the fleet owner must replace it with the same level
VDECS or higher for the vehicle within 90 days of the failure.
(B) Failure or Damage Outside the Warranty
Period.
1. Before Final Target Date - If a
VDECS fails or is damaged outside of its warranty period before January 1, 2023
for large and medium fleets, or before January 1, 2028 for small fleets, and
cannot be repaired, and if the fleet could not meet an applicable fleet average
target for the most recent compliance date without the failed VDECS, the fleet
owner must replace the failed or damaged VDECS within 90 days of its failure,
with the highest level VDECS available for the engine at time of
failure.
2. After Final Target Date
- If a VDECS fails or is damaged outside of its warranty period on or after
January 1, 2023 for large and medium fleets, or on or after January 1, 2028 for
small fleets, and cannot be repaired, the fleet owner must replace the failed
or damaged VDECS within 90 days of its failure with the highest level VDECS
available for the engine at time of failure, regardless of whether the fleet
met the applicable fleet average requirement for the most recent compliance
date.
(2)
Fuel-based Strategy VDECS -
(A) If a fleet
owner determines that the highest level VDECS for a large percentage of his
fleet would be a Level 2 fuel verified as a diesel emission control strategy,
and implementation of this VDECS would require installation of a dedicated
storage tank, then the fleet owner may request prior approval from the
Executive Officer to allow use of the level 2 fuel-based strategy across its
fleet.
(B) Waiver for
Discontinuation of Fuel Verified as a Diesel Emission Control Strategy. If a
fleet owner has relied upon a fuel verified as a diesel emission control
strategy to meet an applicable fleet average requirement and has to discontinue
use of the fuel due to circumstances beyond the fleet owner's control, the
fleet owner may apply to the Executive Officer no later than 30 days after
discontinuing use of the fuel for a compliance waiver of up to two years to
provide it time to return to compliance with the applicable fleet average
requirement. The Executive Officer then has 30 days to act upon the request.
Fleets that did not meet the applicable fleet average requirement in the most
recent compliance year may not apply for this waiver.
(3) Exemption for Vehicles Used for Emergency
Operations - Vehicles used solely for emergency operations are exempt from the
performance requirements in sections 2449(d), 2449.1, and
2449.2 but still must be labeled
and reported in accordance with sections 2449(f) and (g). Vehicles used solely
for emergency operations need not be included when calculating fleet average
indices or target rates, when determining fleet size, or when calculating the
required hp for the BACT requirements in sections
2449.1(b).
Owners of vehicles brought into California for emergency
operations that last longer than three months must report such entry to ARB and
request an equipment identification number within three months of entering the
State. Vehicles used solely for emergency operations and that stay in
California for less than three months do not have to be labeled. For vehicles
used both for emergency operations and for other purposes, hours of operation
accrued when the vehicle is used for emergency operations do not need to be
included when determining whether the vehicle meets the permanent or
year-by-year low-use vehicle definition.
(4) Special Provisions for Snow Removal
Vehicles - Dedicated snow removal vehicles are exempt from the performance
requirements in sections 2449(d), 2449.1, and
2449.2 but still must be labeled
and reported in accordance with sections 2449(f) and (g). Dedicated snow
removal vehicles need not be included when calculating fleet average indices or
target rates, when determining fleet size, or when calculating the required hp
for the BACT requirements in section
2449.1(b). Publicly owned vehicles
used exclusively to support snow removal operations, but which do not meet the
dedicated snow removal vehicle definition (such as a loader without a special
snow removal attachment), are exempt from the performance requirements in
sections 2449(d), 2449.1, and
2449.2(d) but still must be
labeled and reported in accordance with sections 2449(f) and (g).
(5) Use of Experimental Diesel Emission
Control Strategies - If a fleet owner wishes to use an experimental, or
non-verified, diesel emission control strategy, the owner must first obtain
approval from the Executive Officer for a compliance extension. To obtain
approval, the owner must demonstrate either that (A) a VDECS is not available
or not feasible or not safe for their vehicle or application, or (B) that use
of the non-verified strategy is needed to generate data to support verification
of the strategy. The owner or operator shall keep documentation of this use in
records as specified by the Executive Officer. The application must include
emissions data and detailed control technology description demonstrating the
experimental control achieves at least a Level 2 diesel PM emission reduction.
If the application demonstrates that the strategy achieves at least 50 percent
reductions in diesel PM, it may be treated like a Level 2 VDECS. If the
application demonstrates that the strategy achieves at least 85 percent
reductions in diesel PM, it may be treated like a Level 3 VDECS. If the
application demonstrates that the strategy achieves a NOx reduction over 15%,
the NOx reduction may be counted.
Upon approval by the Executive Officer, each vehicle engine
retrofit with the experimental strategy will be allowed to operate for a
specified time period necessary to make a determination that the experimental
strategy can achieve the projected emissions reductions. The vehicle equipped
with the experimental strategy will be considered to be in compliance during
the specified time period. A fleet owner who participates in an experimental
diesel emission control program approved by the Executive Officer may retain
carryover BACT credits actually accumulated during the experiment, regardless
of whether the experiment achieved the projected emissions reductions or
whether the strategy is eventually verified. If a strategy installed in an
experimental diesel emission control program approved by the Executive Officer
fails to be verified or is removed, it will no longer count in the fleet's
fleet average calculations. The fleet owner must bring the fleet into
compliance prior to the expiration of the experimental diesel emission control
strategy extension.
(6)
Compliance Extension for Equipment Manufacturer or Installer Delays - A fleet
owner who has purchased new equipment (including VDECS) or vehicles in order to
comply with this regulation, will be excused from immediate compliance if the
new equipment or vehicles have not been received due to manufacturing or
installer delays as long as all the conditions below are met:
(A) The equipment or vehicle was purchased,
or the fleet owner and seller had entered into contractual agreement for the
purchase, at least two months prior to the required compliance date, or - for a
VDECS purchased to replace a failed or damaged VDECS - the fleet owner and
seller had entered into contractual agreement for the purchase within 60 days
of the VDECS failure.
(B) Proof of
purchase, such as a purchase order or signed contract for the sale, including
engine specifications for each applicable piece of equipment, must be
maintained by the fleet owner and provided to an agent or employee of ARB upon
request.
(C) The new equipment or
vehicles are immediately placed into operation upon receipt.
(D) Documentation from the manufacturer or
the installer that there is a delay, such that the equipment or vehicle will be
received or installed after the compliance date.
(7) Exemption for Permanent and Year-by-year
Low-Use Vehicles - Permanently designated and year-by-year low-use vehicles are
exempt from the performance requirements in sections 2449(d)(3) through
2449(d)(5) and
2449(d)(7)
through
2449(d)(9),
2449.1, and 2449.2(d), but still
must meet the idling limits in section 2449(d)(2) and be labeled and reported
in accordance with sections 2449(f) and (g). Permanent and year-by-year low-use
vehicles need not be included when calculating fleet average indices or target
rates, when determining fleet size, or when calculating the required hp for the
BACT requirements in section
2449.1(b).
Vehicles that formerly met the permanent low-use vehicle
definition, but whose use increases to 200 hours per year or greater must meet
the adding vehicles requirements in section 2449(d)(6) and be included in the
fleet average calculation by the next compliance date. For example, a formerly
designated permanent low-use engine that exceeds 200 hours per year between
January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015 must be included in the fleet average
indices and target rates reported in 2016, and must also meet the adding
vehicle requirements for that year. Vehicles that formerly met the year-by-year
low-use vehicle definition, but whose use increases to 200 hours per year or
greater do not have to meet the adding vehicles requirements in
section2449(d)(6), but must be included in the fleet average calculations by
the next compliance date.
(8) VDECS That Impairs Safe Operation of
Vehicle - A fleet owner may request that the Executive Officer find that a
VDECS shall not be considered the highest level VDECS available because (A) it
cannot be safely installed or operated in a particular vehicle application, or
(B) its use would make compliance with federal or state requirements for safety
or health, or an ongoing local air district permit condition, such as for use
of a diesel oxidation catalyst, technologically infeasible. If a VDECS
manufacturer states that there is no safe or appropriate method of mounting its
VDECS on the requesting party's vehicle, then the VDECS will not be considered
safe. The Executive Officer shall accept the official findings of the
responsible federal or state agency (i.e., the federal or state agency that
promulgates safety requirements) that compliance with the requirements of this
regulation would make compliance with the federal and state safety or health
requirements technologically infeasible. In the absence of such a declaration
by the VDECS manufacturer or official findings of a responsible federal or
state agency, the requesting party shall provide other documentation to support
its claims. Documentation must include published reports and other findings of
federal, state or local government agencies, independent testing laboratories,
engine or equipment manufacturers, or other equally reliable sources. The
request will only be approved if the requesting party has made a thorough
effort to find a safe method for installing and operating the VDECS, including
considering the use of mirrors, various locations for VDECS mounting, and use
of an actively regenerated VDECS. The Executive Officer shall review the
documentation submitted and any other reliable information that he or she
wishes to consider and shall make his or her determination based upon the
totality of the evidence. Upon finding that a VDECS cannot be installed without
violating the safety standards prescribed under federal or state requirements
for safety or health, the Executive Officer shall issue a determination that
there is no highest level VDECS available. The Executive Officer shall inform
the requesting party, in writing, of his or her determination, within 60 days
of receipt of the request. Parties may appeal the Executive Officer's
determination as described in (A) and (B) below. During the appeal process
described in (A) and (B) below, the requesting party may request the
administrative law judge to stay compliance until a final decision is issued.
If the stay is granted and the Executive Officer denies the requesting party's
request, the requesting party has six months from the date of the Executive
Officer's final written decision to bring his or her fleet back into
compliance.
(A) Appeals - Hearing Procedures -
1. Any party whose request has been denied
may request a hearing for the Executive Officer to reconsider the action taken
by sending a request in writing to the Executive Officer. A request for hearing
shall include, at a minimum, the following:
a. Name of the requesting party;
b. Copy of the Executive Officer's written
notification of denial;
c. A
concise statement of the issues to be raised, with supporting facts, setting
forth the basis for challenging the denial (conclusory allegations will not
suffice);
d. A brief summary of
evidence in support of the statement of facts required in c. above;
and
e. The signature of an
authorized person requesting the hearing.
2. A request for a hearing shall be filed
within 30 days from the date of issuance of the notice of the denial.
3. A hearing requested pursuant to this
section shall be heard by a qualified and impartial hearing officer appointed
by the Executive Officer. The hearing officer may be an employee of the ARB,
but may not be any employee who was involved with the denial at issue. In a
request for reconsideration, the hearing officer, after reviewing the request
for hearing and supporting documentation provided under paragraph 1. above,
shall grant the request for a hearing if he or she finds that the request
raises a genuine and substantial question of law or fact.
4. If a hearing is granted, the hearing
officer shall schedule and hold, as soon as practicable, a hearing at a time
and place determined by the hearing officer.
5. Upon appointment, the hearing officer
shall establish a hearing file. The file shall consist of the following:
a. The determination issued by the Executive
Officer which is the subject of the request for hearing;
b. The request for hearing and the supporting
documents that are submitted with it;
c. All documents relating to and relied upon
by the Executive Officer in making the initial determination to deny the
requesting party's original claim; and
d. Correspondence and other documents
material to the hearing.
6. The hearing file shall be available for
inspection by the applicant at the office of the hearing officer.
7. An applicant may appear in person or be
represented by counsel or by any other duly-authorized
representative.
8. The ARB may be
represented by staff or counsel familiar with the regulation and may present
rebuttal evidence.
9. Technical
rules of evidence shall not apply to the hearing, except that relevant evidence
may be admitted and given probative effect only if it is the kind of evidence
upon which reasonable persons are accustomed to relying in the conduct of
serious affairs. No action shall be overturned based solely on hearsay
evidence, unless the hearsay evidence would be admissible in a court of law
under a legally recognized exception to the hearsay rule.
10. Declarations may be used upon stipulation
by the parties.
11. The hearing
shall be recorded either electronically or by a certified shorthand
reporter.
12. The hearing officer
shall consider the totality of the circumstances of the denial, including but
not limited to, credibility of witnesses, authenticity and reliability of
documents, and qualifications of experts. The hearing officer may also consider
relevant past conduct of the applicant including any prior incidents involving
other ARB programs.
13. The hearing
officer's written decision shall set forth findings of fact and conclusions of
law as necessary.
14. Within 30
days of the conclusion of a hearing, the hearing officer shall submit a written
proposed decision, including proposed finding as well as a copy of any material
submitted by the hearing participants as part of that hearing and relied on by
the hearing officer, to the Executive Officer. The hearing officer may
recommend to the Executive Officer any of the following:
a. Uphold the denial as issued;
b. Modify the denial; or
c. Overturn the denial in its
entirety.
15. The
Executive Officer shall render a final written decision within 60 working days
of the last day of hearing. The Executive Officer may do any of the following:
a. Adopt the hearing officer's proposed
decision;
b. Modify the hearing
officer's proposed decision; or
c.
Render a decision without regard to the hearing officer's proposed
decision.
(B)
Appeals - Hearing Conducted by Written Submission. In lieu of the hearing
procedure set forth in (A) above, an applicant may request that the hearing be
conducted solely by written submission. In such case the requestor must submit
a written explanation of the basis for the appeal and provide supporting
documents within 20 days of making the request. Subsequent to such a submission
the following shall transpire:
1. ARB staff
shall submit a written response to the requestor's submission and documents in
support of the Executive Officer's action no later than 10 days after receipt
of requestor's submission;
2. The
applicant may submit one rebuttal statement which may include supporting
information, as attachment(s), but limited to the issues previously
raised;
3. If the applicant submits
a rebuttal, ARB staff may submit one rebuttal statement which may include
supporting information, as attachment(s), but limited to the issues previously
raised; and
4. The hearing officer
shall be designated in the same manner as set forth in section 2449(e)(8)(A)3.
above. The hearing officer shall receive all statements and documents and
submit a proposed written decision and such other documents as described in
section 2449(e)(8)(A)13. above to the Executive Officer no later than 30
working days after the final deadline for submission of papers. The Executive
Officer's final decision shall be mailed to the applicant no later than 60 days
after the final deadline for submission of papers.
5. The Executive Officer shall render a final
written decision within 60 working days of the last day of hearing. The
Executive Officer may do any of the following:
a. Adopt the hearing officer's proposed
decision;
b. Modify the hearing
officer's proposed decision; or
c.
Render a decision without regard to the hearing officer's proposed
decision.
(9) Compliance Flexibility for Delays in
Availability of Tier 3 or Tier 4 Vehicles - If the Executive Officer finds that
there is a delay in availability of vehicles with engines meeting the Tier 3 or
Tier 4 interim or final emission standards so that vehicles with Tier 3 or Tier
4 interim or final engines to meet a fleet's needs are not available or not
available in sufficient numbers or in a sufficient range of makes, models, and
sizes, then the Executive Officer may grant an extension to the fleet from the
requirements in section
2449.1. If such a delay affects a
group of fleets, the Executive Officer may issue an extension to all fleets
with similar characteristics. Any such delay must be documented based on
verifiable information from the fleet regarding its vehicle needs and/or
verifiable information from the equipment manufacturer, engine manufacturer,
distributor, and/or dealer regarding the unavailability of appropriate vehicles
with Tier 3 or Tier 4 interim or final engines.
(10) Exemption for Vehicles Awaiting Sale -
Vehicles in the possession of dealers, financing companies, or other entities
who do not intend to operate the vehicle nor offer the vehicle for hire, that
are operated only to demonstrate functionality to potential buyers or to move
short distances while awaiting sale or for maintenance purposes are exempt from
all requirements in sections 2449, 2449.1, and 2449.2.
(11) Exemption for Vehicle Used Over Half the
Time for Agriculture - A vehicle that is used by its owner for agricultural
operations for over half of its annual operating hours but that is not used
exclusively for agricultural operations is exempt from the performance
requirements in section 2449(d),
2449.1, and
2449.2, but still must be labeled
and reported in accordance with sections 2449(f) and (g). Vehicles used
exclusively for agricultural operations are completely exempt from the
performance, labeling, and reporting requirements. A vehicle that is rented or
leased for use by others is exempt only if it is exclusively used for
agricultural operations.
(12)
Exemption for Vehicles Used Solely on San Nicolas or San Clemente Islands -
Vehicles used solely on San Nicolas or San Clemente Islands are exempt from all
requirements in section 2449, 2449.1, and 2449.2. If the land use plans for the
islands are changed to allow use by the general public of the islands, this
exemption shall no longer be applicable.
(13) Exemption for Job Corps Vehicles -
Vehicles used by the Job Corps nonprofit apprenticeship training program are
exempt from the performance requirements in sections 2449(d), 2449.1, and
2449.2 but still must be labeled
and reported in accordance with sections 2449(f) and (g).
(14) Two-Engine Vehicles - For purposes of
the rounding provisions in section
2449.1(b)(5), if a
two-engine vehicle is subject to this regulation, under section 2449(b),
neither engine in the two-engine vehicle is required to be turned over until
the hp required to be turned over under section 2449.1(b) is at least half the
sum of the max hp of the primary and auxiliary engine in the two-engine
vehicle.
(15) On-road Registered
Vehicles with Off-road Engines - If a workover rig or other on-road registered
vehicle subject to this regulation with an off-road engine is repowered and
will be registered and driven on-road, it must be repowered with an on-road
certified engine of the same model year or newer as the engine being
replaced.
(16) Fleets with 500 hp
or less - Fleets with 500 hp or less total max hp may meet the optional
compliance schedule listed below in Table 1 instead of the small fleet
requirements in 2449.1(a)(2) and 2449.1(b). This percent of engine hp must be
met or exceeded, and the rounding provisions in section 2449.1(b)(5) do not
apply. For compliance with this section, all vehicles in the fleet must be
included; no vehicles qualify for the exemptions listed in section 2449(e).
Table 1 - Optional Compliance Schedule
|
for Fleets with 500 HP or Less
|
Compliance Date:
|
Percent of Fleet (by hp) Which
Must
|
January 1 of Year
|
Have a Tier 2 or Higher
Engine
|
2019
|
25
|
2022
|
50
|
2026
|
75
|
2029
|
100
|
Fleets with 500 hp or less may choose to comply with either
the above optional compliance schedule or the small fleet requirements. If the
fleet alternates from the BACT schedule to the optional compliance path above,
the fleet must comply with the most recent past requirements of the optional
compliance schedule. For example, a fleet switching to the optional compliance
schedule above in 2025 must meet the 2022 requirements of the optional
compliance schedule immediately upon switching to the optional compliance
schedule. A fleet switching to the fleet average or BACT requirements from the
optional compliance schedule must begin meeting the fleet average or BACT
requirements for small fleets on the next compliance date for small fleets. If
a fleet grows larger than 500 hp, that fleet must begin meeting the fleet
average or BACT requirements for small fleets on the next compliance date for
the applicable fleet size category.
(17) Public funds for purchases, repowers, or
retrofits - Notwithstanding sections 2449, 2449.1 and 2449.2, the purchase of a
replacement vehicle, repower, or a retrofit with public funds shall be counted
toward the fleet average or BACT requirements in accordance with funding
program guidelines applicable to the particular source of public funds used for
the purchase. This may in some cases limit credit to single rather than double
credit.