The California Air Resources Board announced an early action compliance credit for trucking fleets that install a particulate filter by July 1, 2011, or that make a commitment to purchase a particulate filter by May 1, 2011.
By installing a particulate filter early on one truck, the fleet will be able to delay compliance for a second truck in the fleet until January 1, 2017.

The early action 'buy-one-get-one-free' credit applies to heavier trucks with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of more than 26,000 pounds. There is no limit on how many trucks in the fleet can earn the early action credit.

Fleets that install a particulate matter filter by July 1 will get the early action credit. Fleets that have made the commitment to purchase by May 1 and install the PM filter after July 1 will still receive early action credit. In addition, the vehicle that is retrofitted would also be compliant until 2020 regardless of engine model year. Extra particulate filter credits are not available for filters installed to comply with other pre-existing CARB regulations or if partially paid for by public funding.

Fleets are required to report information about all of their heavier trucks that operate in California by Jan. 31, 2012, to use the phase-in option and to claim the early action credit plus other credits.

On Dec. 17, 2010, ARB made amendments to the Truck and Bus regulations in order to offer businesses a variety of options to comply with regulations to reduce soot from diesel engines while assuring that California continues to meet its air quality obligations and public health.

For more information: www.arb.ca.gov