LOS ANGELES, May 11 (UPI) -- The engine industry is mulling an appeal of a court ruling allowing California air regulators to require truck fleets to buy the cleanest engines available.
The Engine Manufacturers Association told UPI Wednesday the ruling by a Los Angeles federal judge puts the South Coast Air Quality Management District in a position to trump state and federal regulations in alleged violation of the federal Clean Air Act.
The May 6 ruling upheld the district's assertion that its so-called fleet rules issued in 2000 applied to all public vehicle fleets within its Southern California jurisdiction. Those rules basically require all fleets to switch to cleaner-burning vehicles, and according to the association, cut diesel engines out of the mix in a large market.
The association said diesel engines are allowed by the Clean Air Act and are approved by both the federal EPA and the California Air Resources Board.
The district said last week the judge agreed with its contention it was not setting air-quality regulations, and the district had the authority to require fleets to buy the cleanest vehicles available.
