The California Air Resources Board has drafted a plan that would require every diesel engine in the state to get a soot trap, with costs that could equal about $1,900 to $9,500 per truck. A public meeting today from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time at the Sacramento Convention Center will give the public a chance to comment on the proposal.

According to the Sacramento Bee, the proposal would require almost every diesel engine in the state, new or used, to install the traps. Sulfur levels allowed in diesel fuel would also be constricted to levels proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The proposal estimates these changes would reduce diesel particulate emissions 75 percent by 2010 and 85 percent by 2020.
Opponents of the proposal say operating costs for all businesses involved could skyrocket, especially for trucking companies, with costs for buying and installing the new technology running about $10 to $50 per horsepower. Diesel-powered trucks, buses, cars, boats, generators, construction equipment and agricultural equipment would all be subject to the regulations.