New federal standards for diesel engines take effect Oct. 1, 2002, and impose substantial penalties for engine makers engine makers whose new engine designs fail to meet emission standards. A California Environmental Protection Agency spokesman indicated the state is considering its own options, and that no decision has been made on instituting state penalties for diesel engine manufacturers. According to Cal EPA Communications Director Jerry Martin, ‘‘We don’t want to reward bad behavior by simply putting a fine on an engine and allow companies to sell their engines here.’’ Because California established a precedent for air quality regulation and penalties, it is the only state that can impose stricter air quality rules than federal standards and impose penalties of its own. All engine manufacturers are required to submit their new diesel engine models for testing, and to date, Cummins Inc. is the only company to have received federal and state certification as the October deadline approaches. For more information on Cummins, go to www.cummins.com.