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On September 12, 2024, CARB’s Executive Officer signed Executive Order DE-24-003, establishing the requirements for safety systems (also known as bypass or override systems) for future Executive Orders issued to manufacturers of CARB-Verified Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) for DPFs that include a safety system for Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC).

The CHC Regulation establishes performance standards for main propulsion and auxiliary engines on regulated in-use vessels that are equivalent to the cleanest available engine and a DPF. The engine standards include Tier 4 Marine Emission Standards or Tier 4 Final Off-road Emission Standards, or Tier 3 Marine or Off-road Emission Standards (for engines under 600 kilowatts where no Tier 4 engine is commercially available). The DPF requirement is for a CARB-verified Level 3 DPF, if available. DPFs are subject to CARB’s Verification Procedure, which is a stringent process that requires manufacturers to demonstrate their DPF devices meet emission reduction requirements, safe operation, and durable in-field performance for over one thousand hours of operation. Level 3 means that the DPF reduces engine diesel PM emissions by 85 percent or greater, or to less than 0.01 grams per brake horsepower-hour (g/bhp-hr).

Executive Order DE-24-003 is the product of extensive communication between CARB staff and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) regarding the use of safety systems on DPFs designed for CHC vessels. Approximately 9,000 hours of DPF operation have been accumulated on marine vessels operated in California with no documented safety incidents attributed to the DPF. This Executive Order provides an additional measure of safety for vessels with DPFs operating in a marine environment, while maintaining the public health benefits of the CHC Regulation and the stringency of CARB’s Verification Procedure.

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Contact

Questions or comments about the CHC Regulation can be directed to harborcraft@arb.ca.gov. Questions or comments regarding CARB’s Verification Procedure can be directed to Milad Pirhadi, Staff Air Pollution Specialist.

Background

On December 30, 2022, the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved amendments to the Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) Regulation, California Code of Regulations (CCR) title 17, section 93118.5, and title 13, section 2299.5. The amended CHC Regulation went into effect on January 1, 2023.

The amended CHC Regulation will reduce emissions from harbor craft operated in California waters and improve public health in nearby communities, many of which are disadvantaged. By 2035, the amended CHC Regulation is expected to result in an 89 percent reduction of diesel particulate matter and a 52 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides from regulated CHC. The amended regulation will also reduce the cancer risk to over 22 million residents who live near the coast and up to 50 miles inland. 

The Regulation for the Verification Procedure for In-Use Strategies to Control Emissions from Diesel Engines, Cal. Code Regs., title 13, section 2700 et seq., was adopted by CARB’s Board on May 16, 2002. The goal of the Verification Procedure is to ensure that verified systems produce emissions reductions consistent with the verification level and that they are durable and compatible with various engines and applications. Additional information on the Verification Procedure is available on the Verification Procedure for In-Use Strategies to Control Emissions from Diesel Engines webpage.

Clearing California Skies for Over 50 Years

CARB is the lead agency for California’s fight against climate change, and oversees all air pollution control efforts in the state to attain and maintain health-based air quality standards.

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