The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted the California Air Resources Board (CARB) authorization to enforce the Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM). This regulation will require TRUs and TRU generator sets that operate in California to meet particulate matter emissions restrictions on their diesel engines. These in-use performance standards must be met on an engine model year phased compliance schedule.
Originally, ARB said it would begin enforcement of this regulation 30 days after receiving an EPA waiver. However, ARB recently announced that it will delay enforcement of the first phase of TRU ATCM’s in-use performance standards for six months after waiver approval. Therefore, the enforcement grace period for TRU engine model years 2001 and older will end on July 16, 2009, and enforcement of the in-use performance standards for these model years will begin on July 17, 2009. All other compliance dates for the in-use performance standards are unaffected by this grace period.
In November 2008, the National Trailer Dealers Association submitted a statement requesting that ARB delay the TRU ATCM effective date for at least two years once the EPA waiver was granted, arguing that it would take time for companies to arrange financing and for manufacturers to bring trailers into compliance. The Association also contended that it is significantly more expensive and complex to comply with the rule than ARB originally envisioned, as many compliance options used to justify the rule are still not available and the cost for compliance was severely understated.
The implementation of TRU ATCM will have a large impact on the trailer industry. Now that the EPA has granted ARB a waiver of approval, it is more important than ever that all NTDA members become well informed on this subject in order to make the best possible decisions for their companies. Visit www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru.htm for more information on TRU ATCM, including FAQs and compliance details, or call ARB’s TRU Helpline at 1-888-878-2826.
The NTDA will continue to monitor this situation as the enforcement date approaches. The Association will be contacting relevant trade groups with members that are impacted by this ruling and will look for future opportunities to try and reduce its impact on the industry.