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The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) will conduct a public hearing at the date and time noted below to consider the proposed Zero-Emission Forklift Regulation (Proposed Regulation).
Date: June 27, 2024
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Mary D. Nichols Campus, Southern California Headquarters
California Air Resources Board | Haagen-Smit Auditorium
4001 Iowa Avenue, Riverside, California 92507
Remote Option: Zoom
This public meeting may continue at 9:00 a.m., on June 28, 2024. Please consult the public agenda, which will be posted ten days before the June 27, 2024, Board Meeting, for important details, including, but not limited to, the day on which this item will be considered, how to participate via Zoom, and any appropriate direction regarding a possible remote-only Board Meeting if needed.
Background
CARB mobile source programs have made significant progress in improving air quality throughout California. However, many areas throughout the State still fail to attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and fine particulate matter (PM) (i.e., PM2.5). About 26 million Californians live in areas exceeding the NAAQS, out of the total population of about 39 million. Consequently, about 67 percent of California's population live in areas exposed to concentrations above the federal ozone and PM2.5 standards. In addition, climate change continues to impact California communities and the environment by increasing smog formation; extending the pollen season; contributing to intense wildfires; creating hotter temperatures that could cause heat-related health problems; cause weather extremes, such as drought and flooding; and increase prevalence of infectious diseases. Taking action to reduce criteria-pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is urgently needed to reduce the toll air pollution and climate change is taking on Californians.
Mobile sources and the fossil fuels that power them are the largest contributors to the formation of ozone, GHG emissions, fine PM (i.e., PM2.5), and toxic diesel PM. The combustion of fossil fuel by mobile sources accounts for approximately 80 percent of smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, 90 percent of the diesel PM emissions, and nearly 40 percent of statewide GHG emissions. Of that, off-road equipment contributes to approximately 14 percent of the NOx emissions and seven percent of the PM emissions attributable to mobile sources.
The Proposed Regulation has been identified in the 2016 State Strategy for the State Implementation Plan, the 2016 Mobile Source Strategy (MSS), the 2020 MSS, and the Sustainable Freight Action Plan as one of several measures necessary for California to achieve its established air-quality and climate goals.
Forklifts that use internal combustion engines can be spark-ignited (i.e., gasoline, propane, or natural gas) or compression-ignited (i.e., diesel). Large Spark-Ignition (LSI) forklifts are spark-ignited forklifts of 25 horsepower or greater.
The Proposed Regulation would reduce criteria-pollutant and GHG emissions within the State by accelerating the transition of LSI engine powered forklifts to zero-emission technology (i.e., battery-electric, fuel cell-electric, or other zero-emission technology as the only source of power for propulsion and work). Certain types of forklifts, such as rough-terrain forklifts and diesel forklifts, would not be addressed by the Proposed Regulation.
About half of the forklift population in California already uses zero-emission technology largely due to advantages that zero-emission technology can provide, such as reduced indoor air pollution and lower operating costs. The Proposed Regulation would target most existing LSI forklifts for use of zero‑emission technology. CARB may also consider other changes to the sections affected, as listed on page two of the Notice of Public Hearing.
Inquiries concerning the substance of the proposed regulatory action may be directed to the agency representative Keith Roderick, Air Resources Engineer, Staff Lead, Advanced Emission Control Strategies Section, at 279-208-7768 or Lori Berard, Air Pollution Specialist, Cost Analysis Lead, Advanced Emission Control Strategies Section, at 951-542-3083.
The Notice, ISOR, and all subsequent regulatory documents are available on CARB's Rulemaking webpage.
Written Comment Period & Comment Submittal
In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, interested members of the public may present comments orally or in writing during the hearing and may provide comments by postal mail or by electronic submittal before the hearing. The public comment period for this regulatory action will begin on November 10, 2023. Written comments not submitted during the hearing must be submitted on or after November 10, 2023, and received no later than December 26, 2023. Comments submitted outside that comment period are considered untimely. CARB may, but is not required to, respond to untimely comments, including those raising significant environmental issues. The Board also encourages members of the public to bring to the attention of staff in advance of the hearing any suggestions for modification of the proposed regulatory action. Comments submitted in advance of the hearing must be addressed to one of the following:
Clerk of the Board, California Air Resources Board
1001 I Street, Sacramento, California 95814
Please note that under the California Public Records Act (Government Code section 6250 et seq.), your written and oral comments, attachments, and associated contact information (e.g., your address, phone, email, etc.) become part of the public record and can be released to the public upon request.
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