Public Agencies and Utilities Fact Sheet
On December 8, 2005, CARB approved a regulation to reduce diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions from fleets operated by public agencies and utilities (PAU), Title 13, California Code of Regulations (CCR), Sections 2020, 2022, and 2022.1. The regulation achieves significant diesel particulate matter emission reductions.
What fleets are subject to the regulation?
Any municipality or utility that owns, leases, or operates on-road diesel-fueled heavy-duty vehicles with 1960 model year or newer heavy-duty engine certified to greater than 0.01 grams per brake horsepower-hour (g/bhp-hr) particulate emission standard (does not come equipped with original equipment manufacturer filter) and a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating greater than 14,000 pounds.
What vehicles are exempt from the regulation?
Emergency, school buses, urban buses and transit fleet vehicles, solid waste collection vehicles and 2007 and newer model-year engines that have been certified to the 0.01 g/bhp-hr PM standard or cleaner.
What is a municipality?
A city, county, city and county, special district, or a public agency of the State of California, and any department, division, public corporation, or public agency of this State, or two or more entities acting jointly.
What is a utility?
A privately-owned company that provides the same or similar services for water, natural gas and electricity, as a public utility operated by a municipality (telecommunications servicers not included).
What are the performance requirements?
Fleets must apply Best Available Control Technology (BACT) to their vehicles based on engine model year. The BACT schedule is shown in Table 1-1 and 1-2 below.
| Group | Engine Model Years | Applies to All Fleets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Group to use BACT | Compliance Deadline, as of December 31 | ||
| 1A (#footnoteA_x4y0j3p) | 1960 to 1987 | 20% | 2007 |
| 60% | 2009 | ||
| 100% | 2011 | ||
| 2 | 1988 to 2002 | 20% | 2007 |
| 60% | 2009 | ||
| 100% | 2011 | ||
| 3 | 2003 to 2006 (Includes dual-fuel and bi-fuel engines) | 50% | 2009 |
| 100% | 2010 | ||
| 4 | 2007 and newer certified above the 0.01g/bhp-hr std. | 100% | 2012 |
| Group | Engine Model Years | Option for Fleets Located in a Low Population CountyB (#footnoteB_ou4wex7) or Granted Low-Population County Status | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Group to use BACT | Compliance Deadline, as of December 31 | ||
| 1A (#footnoteA_x4y0j3p) | 1960 to 1987 | 20% | 2009 |
| 40% | 2011 | ||
| 60% | 2013 | ||
| 80% | 2015 | ||
| 100% | 2017 | ||
| 2 | 1988 to 2002 | 20% | 2008 |
| 40% | 2010 | ||
| 60% | 2012 | ||
| 80% | 2014 | ||
| 100% | 2016 | ||
| 3 | 2003 to 2006 (Includes dual-fuel and bi-fuel engines) | 20% | 2011 |
| 40% | 2012 | ||
| 60% | 2013 | ||
| 80% | 2014 | ||
| 100% | 2015 | ||
| 4 | 2007 and newer certified above the 0.01g/bhp-hr std. | 20% | 2012 |
| 40% | 2013 | ||
| 60% | 2014 | ||
| 80% | 2015 | ||
| 100% | 2016 | ||
The Best Available Control Technology requirements can be met by any of the following:
- An engine certified to 0.01 g/bhp-hr PM or cleaner; or
- An engine retrofitted with the highest-level PM diesel emission control strategy (DECS). Repower with gasoline engines must be certified to the cleanest specified standard, 2004 model year alternative fuel engines or newer must be certified at or below the 1.8-gram optional oxides of nitrogen emission standard, or heavy-duty pilot ignition
What recordkeeping is required to document compliance?
Records may be kept in a centralized location or at the terminal where the vehicle resides. Records must be made available upon request while the vehicle operates in California. Other records such as vehicle compliance labeling must be kept in the vehicle. Sample record keeping forms may be found at PAU Compliance Tools (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/fleet-rule-public-agencies-and-utilities/pau-advisories-and-tools).
How can I qualify for a compliance extension?
A compliance extension is granted based on a variety of conditions including: compliance with an early implementation schedule, no verified DECS is available, participation in an experiment or demonstration, or the vehicle is one year from retirement. Specific record keeping or approvals are required.
Continuous Compliance
A public agency or utility is required to keep each vehicle in compliance with this regulation, once it is in compliance, so long as the municipality or utility operates the vehicle in California. Any violations may carry penalties as specified in State law and regulation.
More Information
Fact sheets, compliance tools and regulatory documents about the Public and Utilities Regulation are available at the PAU (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/fleet-rule-public-agencies-and-utilities) website. If you have questions or wish to obtain this document in an alternative format or language, please call CARB’s diesel hotline at (866) 6DIESEL (634-3735). TTY/TDD/ Speech to Speech users may dial 711 for the California Relay Service.
Other Resources
- The TruckStop (https://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/truckstop/truckstop.htm)
- Public Fleets (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/fleet-rule-public-agencies-and-utilities)
- A (#footnoterefA_x4y0j3p)a (#footnoterefA_x4y0j3p)b (#footnoterefA_cbzb7sg) An owner may not use Level 1 technology as classified pursuant to title 13, CCR, section 2700, as best available control technology on a Group 1 engine or vehicle.
- B (#footnoterefB_ou4wex7)A Low Population County (LPC) is one of the following counties: Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Inyo, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Plumas, San Benito, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, and Yuba Counties. Other cities and counties may qualify for LPC status.