Amendments Proposed for LSI Engine Fleet Requirements Regulation

On July 21, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved proposed amendments to the Large Spark-Ignition (LSI) Engine Fleet Requirements Regulation, which applies to operators of forklifts, sweeper/scrubbers, industrial tow tractors and airport ground support equipment (GSE). If adopted, the 2016 proposed amendments would require operators of in-use fleets to report and label LSI equipment and continue existing record keeping requirements previously set to expire June 30, 2016.    

The new amendments coincide with CARB’s vision of a zero and near-zero emission freight system as approved in Resolution 15-22. That resolution directed staff to pursue development of the potential near-term actions described in the Sustainable Freight: Pathways to Zero and Near-Zero Emissions, Discussion Draft (Pathways Document) as quickly as possible to meet public health and climate change needs. The Pathways Document describes a number of potential immediate and near-term actions intended to facilitate the transition to a zero emission transportation system and supports the on-going effort to develop California’s Sustainable Freight Action Plan.

According to CARB staff, the current proposal would support two near-term actions identified in the Pathways Document: (1) The collection of data from freight facilities to support future actions to reduce emissions and health risk and to improve efficiency (Data Collection); and (2) the development of requirements to support broad scale deployment of zero emissions equipment in LSI applications (Zero Emission Off-Road Measure).

This proposal will include a survey, currently being developed by CARB staff and industry stakeholders, including CLFP, and is one of several CARB efforts to provide the data necessary to fully evaluate: (1) the feasibility of increasing deployment of zero emission technology in LSI 3 and other off-road equipment categories; (2) the cost and economics of widespread deployment of those technologies and the associated fueling infrastructure; and (3) the potential impacts on businesses and the environment.

Current LSI Fleet Regulation requires fleet operators to document key compliance information about their equipment - information CARB is using to increase enforcement effectiveness and compliance rates and to inform policy decisions. However, it does not require or provide a mechanism for operators to report such information to CARB.

This staff proposal approved by CARB consists of the following major elements:
•    The addition of reporting requirements starting June 30, 2017.
•    The addition of equipment labeling requirements starting June 30, 2017.
•    The continuation of existing recordkeeping requirements.

The staff proposal will require fleets subject to the current requirements of the LSI Fleet Regulation to report their LSI equipment to CARB beginning June 30, 2017, and annually thereafter.

For additional information, please contact Todd Sterling, Air Pollution Specialist, at (916) 323-2397.  Notice of the proposed amendments are located on the CARB website at

http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2016/sparkignition2016/sparkignition2016.htm

Written by John Larrea, California League of Food Processors Government Affairs Director

California League Of Food Producers