Two trucking companies ordered to pay $100K each for violating California emissions rules

On Monday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that two trucking companies have agreed to pay six figure penalties for violating California emissions rules.

Interstate trucking companies Capurro Trucking and Republic Services are accused of violating the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Truck and Bus Regulation by failing “to install controls to reduce pollution, upgrade model year engines, or verify that the trucks complied with state rules.”

For these violations brought for enforcement under the Clean Air Act, Capurro Trucking paid a civil penalty of $119,162, while Republic Services paid $100,000, according to an EPA news release.

“National truck fleets operating within California need to comply with our state’s truck and bus rule that regulates dangerous air pollution,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Administrator Martha Guzman. “Holding companies accountable protects the environment and public health, particularly among overburdened California communities that are bearing the brunt of pollution from diesel-fueled, heavy-duty trucks.”

The California Truck and Bus Regulation has been in place since 2012. The rule requires motor carriers operating in California to  upgrade vehicles they own to meet specific performance standards for emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter and to verify compliance of vehicles they hire or dispatch

As of January 1, 2023, most vehicles operating in California are required to have 2010 model year engines or equivalent emissions.

California has enacted increasingly stringent emissions standards on both passenger and commercial vehicles, which has drawn criticism from many in the trucking industry. The state has banned the sale of all new diesel-powered heavy duty trucks by 2045.

Earlier this year, 19 states states filed suit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for allowing the state of California to pass regulations that will effectively ban diesel trucks in the coming years.