The California Air Resource Board today announced the agency has fined the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LADPW) $256,000 for violating the violating air pollution laws.
“This significant fine reflects the serious nature of LADPW’s violations,” said ARB Enforcement Chief Jim Ryden. “We hold public agencies accountable for their mistakes the same as we do private businesses. We hope that this fine sends a message to public and private fleet managers that they must follow the law
and maintain their vehicles and records properly.”
ARB reports that a routine investigation by ARB’s Enforcement Division found that LADPW failed to “properly self-inspect its diesel trucks to insure they met state smoke emission standards; Properly affix Emission Control Labels on the engines of their fleet vehicles; Follow requirements of the Transit Fleet Vehicle and Public Agency and Utility Rules,” CARB states.
LADPW responsible for the regional bus service for Los Angeles County. In addition, LADPW operates a fleet of public work’s vehicles.
LADPW paid $192,281 to the California Air Resource Board; $64,094 will go to the Peralta Colleges Foundations to fund diesel education classes by the Los Angeles Trade Tech College.
CARB has also ordered LADPW to “ensure that staff responsible for compliance with diesel truck maintenance attend CCDET diesel education courses;
Instruct vehicle operators to comply with California idling regulations; Ensure that trucks have the most recent low-NOx software installed; Provide documentation to ARB that smoke opacity inspections are being conducted for the next three years; and Ensure that all 1974 and newer diesel-powered vehicles are up to federal emissions standards for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled with an Emission Control Label,” a CARB press release states.