California: Diesel Risk Reduction Plan

Overview

 * Regulating body: California Air Resources Board (CARB)
 * Program name: CARB's Diesel Risk Reduction Plan page
 * Goal: To reduce diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions in California by 75% by 2010 and 85% by 2020

History
In 1998, California identified diesel exhaust particulate matter (PM) as a toxic air contaminant based on its potential to cause cancer, premature death, and other health problems.

In September, 2000, CARB, with the help of an advisory committee, developed and approved the Risk Reduction Plan to Reduce Particulate Matter Emissions from Diesel-Fueled Engines and Vehicles and the Risk Management Guidance for the Permitting of New Stationary Diesel-Fueled Engines.

The Diesel Risk Reduction Plan proposed a comprehensive approach to significantly reduce diesel PM emissions by requiring all new diesel-fueled vehicles and engines to use state-of-the-art catalyzed diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and very low-sulfur diesel fuel on its way to achieving a goal of 75 percent PM reduction by 2010 and 85 percent by 2020. Specifically, the plan contained the following three components:
 * New regulatory standards for all new on-road, off-road, and stationary diesel-fueled engines and vehicles to reduce diesel PM emissions by about 90 percent overall from current levels;
 * New retrofit requirements for existing on-road, off-road, and stationary diesel-fueled engines and vehicles where determined to be technically feasible and cost-effective; and
 * New Phase 2 diesel fuel regulations to reduce the sulfur content levels of diesel fuel to no more than 15 ppm to provide the quality of diesel fuel needed by the advanced diesel PM emission controls.

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