SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board fined an Escondido paving company nearly $8,000 for failing to meet fleet inspection requirements for the state's smoke inspection program.

Southland Paving, Inc. will pay $7,879 following state investigators' finding that the company had not inspected its fleet for smoke emissions in 2005.

"Companies must do their part to ensure their fleets are running clean," said ARB Chairman Mary Nichols. "In addition to paying a fine, Southland Paving's staff will go back to school for a refresher course on fleet air pollution requirements."

Under the penalty agreement, Southland Paving must:

• Ensure that staff responsible for compliance with the diesel truck emission inspection program attend diesel education courses and provide certificates of completion within one year;
• Instruct vehicle operators to comply with the state's idling regulations;
• Upgrade pollution control software on all trucks in company's fleet; and
• Supply all smoke inspection records to ARB for 2008 and subsequent years.

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 nearly $6,000. The remainder will go to the Peralta Community College District to fund diesel education classes.

The San Diego region faces continued particulate matter and ozone problems. A decade ago, the ARB listed diesel particulate matter as a toxic air contaminant in order to protect public health. Exposure to unsafe levels of diesel emissions can increase the risk of asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases.