The California Air Resources Board has fined the city of Fresno $49,500 for diesel emissions violations at multiple fleet centers and entered into a settlement that will bring the city's fleet of diesel vehicles into compliance with state regulations ahead of the mandated schedule. 

ARB investigators found that the city had not been testing, measuring, recording and maintaining the records of its on-road vehicle fleet's diesel smoke emissions. 

"The city of Fresno went through extraordinary steps to resolve these violations and work with us to craft an effective settlement that will provide cleaner air for its residents," said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. "This settlement not only remedies the violations but goes much further to reduce emissions from the city's off-road fleet ahead of ARB's regulatory timeline." 

Under the settlement, the city must:

• Ensure that staff members responsible for compliance with the diesel truck emissions inspection program attend California Community College diesel education courses and provide certificates of completion within one year;  

• Instruct on- and off-road vehicle operators to comply with the state's idling regulations;  

• Complete heavy-duty diesel engine software and control technology upgrades in compliance with regulations;  

• Supply all smoke emissions inspection records to ARB for the next four years;  

• Confirm that all engines are properly labeled to ensure compliance with the engine emissions certification program regulations;  

• Retire eight off-road heavy duty vehicles by March 1, 2010 and replace them with new vehicles at an estimated cost of $400,000 in order to comply with the 2011 requirement one year early;  

• Pending budget approval, retire an additional seven to 12 off-road vehicles by March 1, 2011 and replace them with new vehicles at an estimated cost of $350,000 to $600,000 in order to comply with the 2013 regulatory requirement two years early. 

In addition, the city is not allowed to apply for any funding from the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program for early compliance with the off-road vehicle rule. 

The California Air Pollution Control Fund, established to mitigate various sources of pollution through education and the advancement and use of cleaner technology, will receive $36,937.50 of the $49,500 fine. A total of $6,156.25 will go to the Peralta Community College District to fund diesel education classes conducted by California Community Colleges statewide. The remaining $6,156.25 will go to the California Air Pollution Control Financing Authority to guarantee low-interest loans for fleets purchasing diesel exhaust retrofits or new engines or vehicles.