The California Air Resources Board has issued proposed amendments to its Transport Refrigeration Unit regulation.


The amendments include lowering the December 31, 2010 retrofit requirements for TRUs with 2003 model year engines from 85 to 50 percent particulate control. The change is being prompted by the limited availability of retrofit technologies, the American Trucking Associations is reporting.

These engines will still need to be brought into compliance with the 85 percent control requirement in seven years. Another amendment would modify the compliance dates for TRUs with "flexibility engines" to ensure that purchasers of these TRUs are not prematurely subject to the CARB requirements. These engines, which are sold as new, can be manufactured to previous emission standards and may have engine labels that do not accurately reflect the manufacture date. CARB will consider these amendments on Nov. 18 in Sacramento.

The proposed amendments would affect owners of TRUs and TRU gen sets that operate in California that are equipped with Model Year 2003 engines, regardless of horsepower category, and MY 2004 engines in the less than 25 horsepower category. This would include all TRU and TRU gen set owners, whether based in California or out-of-state, that transport perishable goods using refrigerated trucks, trailers, shipping containers, and railcars within the State.

More info:
www.arb.ca.gov.

Read the entire notice (PDF file) here.