EPA Grants Calif. Request to Enforce Reefer Emissions Rule

California environmental regulators said last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has granted the state a waiver that will allow enforcement of its regulation requiring emission-control retrofits on refrigerated trucks and trailers.

California Air Resources Board officials, who announced the waiver approval on Jan. 21, had delayed enforcement of the rule while awaiting EPA’s approval.

It was unknown at press time exactly when CARB would begin enforcing the rule, originally set to take effect Dec. 31. Last month, agency officials announced that, while awaiting the EPA ruling, they would delay enforcement until mid-2009.

First adopted in 2004, the regulations are part of CARB’s strategy to reduce soot from the estimated 40,000 reefer units operating in California.