CARB Reopens PERP
The California Air Resources Board has reopened the statewide portable Engine Registration Program to some older engines by passing an emergency regulation at its meeting Dec. 7th in Bakersfield.
Portable equipment includes some cranes, trailer or skid mounted concrete pumps, screening and crushing operations, grinders, tree trimmers, generators, pumps, welders, etc.
CARB will now allow registration of equipment with Tier 1 and Tier 2 engines back in the program. But, the Board refused to allow registration of Tier 0 engines, saying that this equipment, (pre-1998 for small engines, pre-1996 for larger ones), must be registered by local districts and is illegal to operate with out registration.
Only the South Coast Air Quality Management District (all of Orange and parts of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties) has refused to allow registration of Tier 0 engines.
Equipment owners are warned not to approach SCAQMD on this topic as it might result in enforcement action.
For information on registering your portable equipment in the PERP visit CARB's web site at http://www.arb.ca.gov/portable/perp/perp.htm.
Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP)
On June 22, 2006, the Air Resources Board approved amendments to the Regulation for the Statewide Portable Equipment Registration Program. The regulation will become final upon Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approval.
- Full text of current regulation (Effective 9/1/05)
- Draft of the new regulations (as adopted 6/22/06)
The construction industry is less than happy with CARB's approach under the new regulation. What had started as a voluntary program to allow contractors to move their portable equipment from job site to job site without getting entangled in any number of the 35 local air district requirements has turned into a rule that will require replacement of existing equipment with Tier 3 engines--either now, if you were unaware of the existing rule (and most owners of portable equipment are) or later, whenever CARB or the local district decides to tighten the screws.
As of January 1, 2006, any portable equipment that is unregistered in either the state or a local district program, cannot be registered. The owners of this equipment are considered scofflaws by the agencies and will be subject to fines and penalties, including forfeiture of the right to operate this equipment in the state of California.
If you run afoul of this program, please contact us using the form below.