The California Air Resources Board (CARB) levied a $500,000 fine against Anheuser-Busch for violating the state’s air pollution laws, the agency announced on July 1. The brewing company’s California fleet is based in San Diego.
Half of the fine will support the state’s research on air pollution and the other half will be used for the South L.A. Urban Greening and Community Forestry Project.
According to a CARB press release, the St. Louis-based brewer failed to properly self-inspect 19 diesel trucks, as required by the Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP), to ensure they met state smoke emission standards.
In addition, CARB staff discovered that Anheuser-Busch was not in compliance with the state’s truck and bus diesel emissions rule because it failed to meet required compliance deadlines.
As FreightWaves reported here, CARB continues to ramp up enforcement of heavy-duty truck diesel emissions regulations. Starting in 2020, non-compliant trucks will not be able to register with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
Anheuser-Busch, which last year ordered 800 hydrogen-powered semis from Nikola Motor Co., agreed to pay the fine and will bring its vehicles into compliance with state standards, according to the release. The company will also require staff members who oversee diesel smoke inspection to attend training classes and provide inspection details to the state for the next two years.
Anheuser-Busch did not immediately respond to a FreightWaves request for comment.
“California has some of the country’s poorest air quality and because of this, our laws are tough to protect public health,” said Todd Sax, CARB’s enforcement division chief, in the release. “All businesses must do their part to ensure their fleets are fully compliant with California’s anti-pollution regulations that are designed to clean our air and protect our children.”
Mike
A half a million dollar fine for 19 trucks? California has gone full banana republic.
Harold
It’s called government Extortion
That’s why companies are leaving California
mousekiller
Pack up and move out of that scabby state to AZ.. CARB is operating under falsified information by a person that claimed to be a professor and a graduate of some fancy university and lied about that and his credentials. but his numbers look good on paper and is making CARB money and that is all they want. .He kept his job even tho he was not much better than a grade schooler.
Timothy R
Mouse Killer you are Spot on! Sounds like a Corporate Interest laundering funds to the Government and hiding it in plain sight… This is how guberment gets the black funds for things we the people would never approve… It’s Bullsh*t.
I am sure the registration and taxes will be steeply discounted for those new trucks. Pimps that what these Lefty Loon Governments have become.
Alexander Marinesko
Get out of CA altogether. Middle class American’s will then demand change……