Enforcement of the In-Use Off-Road Large Spark-Ignition Engine

Print this Article | Send to Colleague

On May 25, 2006, the ARB considered and approved a regulation to reduce emissions from forklifts, industrial tow tractors, industrial sweeper/scrubbers, and pieces of airport ground support equipment (GSE) powered by Large Spark-Ignited Engines (LSI) engines. The largest concentrations of LSI equipment are found in warehousing and manufacturing (primarily forklifts) and in airline operations (GSE are found in both airline and contracted aviation services fleets). The regulation became operative under California law on May 12, 2007. The regulation establishes fleet average emission level standards and retrofit requirements for operators of LSI engine powered equipment. It also establishes record-keeping requirements.

Under section 209(e)(2) of the federal Clean Air Act, California may enforce its own emission standards and other requirements related to the control of emissions from off-road engines and equipment not conclusively preempted by section 209(e)(1) – new locomotives and engines and new off-road engines less than 175 horsepower used in farm and construction equipment and vehicles – so long as it first applies for and receives authorization from the Administrator of USEPA. USEPA granted California authorization to enforce the LSI Fleet Regulation on April 4, 2012. (77 Fed. Ref. 20388, April 4, 2012.)

Recent Amendments to the Regulation

On December 16, 2010, the Board considered amendments to the LSI Fleet Regulation. Those amendments became effective on December 14, 2011. The amendments include:
• Adding agricultural and forest operations; boneyard, in-field, operations, retired, and service equipment definitions;
• Modifying airport ground support equipment and fleet average emission level definitions;
• Reinstating limited hours of use provisions; and
• Establishing longer compliance extension periods.

Enforcement

 When the LSI regulation was filed with the Secretary of State in May 2007, the requirements of the regulations came into effect and were fully enforceable except those parts which required an ED - Form #075 (Rev. 07/04) authorization under the Clean Air Act. With the issuance of the authorization by USEPA, those provisions are now enforceable as well. In sum, all affected owners/operators must now be in compliance with all requirements of the LSI regulation.

For information regarding this advisory or enforcement of the LSI Fleet Regulation, please contact Lisa Yacoubian at 626-350-6403 or via e-mail at lyacoubi@arb.ca.gov. If you would like additional information regarding technical requirements of the regulation, please visit our web site at http://www.arb.ca.gov/lsi or contact Mark Williams at 916-327-5610 or via e-mail at mwilliam@arb.ca.gov.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/offroad/orspark/orspark.htm#main_content