I'm curious as to how other states are dealing with diesel emission reductions. California is heavily regulated. If we don't meet a deadline for cleaning up the air, California will lose its federal highway funding. What does your state require?
All I know about is California, and they are hurting companies right now.Who came up with this deadline anyway? Most of the companies out here are slow, We have already reduced the air problem by not running the equipment, how is this going to help the economy?
it isn't just CA. There are 22 states with idling shut down requirements and more to follow. it won't be long before all equip/trucks are equipped with CA emissions.
So far I only know of it being required around here on environmental jobs, where contamination was cleaned up.
I've heard of emissions compliance issues mentioned in bid requirements on state and federally funded road work jobs lately. That relates to ALL equipment being run on a specified job contained in the contract. The CAT ACERT model engines are compliant with the emission requirement from what I've been told...not sure about Cummins and down the line further but it seems like it relates to catalytic converters? fuel? Whats more interesting aside from the idling laws are how would they enforce or monitor equipment covered by these new bidding specs...are they going to create a new arm of inspectors that trravel out to the job and take emission readings off each machine? mmmm how much is it going to cost to enforce emission controls on the job? By the way I've heard this has been enacted in other states besides Cali, not sure where but its out there.
they are crippling there economy with it. pure and simple
That reminds me, the jobs I was on that required emissions controls, I believe it was a requirement of the owner of the property being worked on, rather than a law applying to all jobs.
Texas does it by forcing unfunded mandates on equipment manufactures and owner operators.
Actually, these requirements have been in place for at least a decade, unfortunately truck and equipment engine manufacturers did not believe these requirements would ever be enforced. Now they are scrambling to get in compliance, with, disastrous results for fuel economy and maintenance. Locomotive and other large engine manufacturers got up to speed long time ago. CAT engine power is way ahead of the curve compared to it’s dirt equipment and truck engines. I believe the manufactures just gambled on enforcement and we as dirt and truck people loose because of their caviler attitude.
I would say the manufacturers weren't the only ones that didn't believe it.
Washington State right now is following federal law. All the engine manufacturers have well established plans for meeting the deadlines. The only people who are surprised are the end users. Apparently they are the ones who didn't expect this to be enforced. Highway trucks are already in Tier 4 and there are many mixed results. Heavy equipment is in interim Tier 4 with plenty of different solutions. The jury is still out so far on those results as most units don't have a great deal of time yet. Power generation and locomotives are on a different schedule again and I believe they are still in Tier 3. I haven't heard anything new out of the legislature right now but a year ago they were going to follow California if they had not scaled back. I believe that by 2014 we will be doing the same as California. Already there are preferences being given on government contracts for the percentage of your fleet that complies with the higher tiered regulations.
I had heard some states were going to model their emission reduction plans after those in California. California actually has tougher emission regulations than the Federal government. The people in Sacramento have no idea what they are doing to the small business owners in this State.
I know of a couple of small owner/operator guys that could not get on the Navy base here because they did not have their equipment registered with the state. I'm talking a backhoe and a Bobcat, they turned them away and the guys had to rent equipment just to do the 3 day job!
At the moment, the registration and the 5 minute idle rule are the only portions of the off road rules enforcible by the state UNTIL they get an exemption from the federal EPA for the stricter rules. That is according to the text on AQMD's website. On the other hand, there are numerous owners and agencies adopting "special" rules on a job specific basis. The Ports of LA and Long Beach are one. Most of the Edison jobs require at least tier 2, and some of their jobs are listed requiring tier 3 or better only. Other cities, counties, and high profile owners have their own rules in place for what may be used on their projects. A lot of it is being forced by conditions placed on the permits for the work. The current result of this is that machine owners are in the middle of a turf war between all the various agencies that want a piece of regulating them, and without the latest and greatest equipment, you never know if you will be allowed on the next job or not.:Banghead:Banghead:Banghead
You are correct. Some companies are adopting cleaner language in the contracts. I believe a preference will be given to cleaner fleets just as how "small business", "minority" and "woman owned" companies were given a advantage