Many farmers are making preparations for the expiration of the ag mileage extension for the California Air Resources Board’s (ARB) truck rule. The ag milage extension currently allows trucks that are used in agricultural operations to operate up to 10,000 miles per year without having to be upgraded. That extension is set to expire at the end of 2022. Director of Environmental Services for Western United Dairies, Paul Sousa explained that many farmers are working to replace their trucks now ahead of the compliance date.
“They don’t want to have to replace all of their trucks in January of 2023. So, they’re starting to replace one truck this year and then one truck next year,” said Sousa. “There are a couple of exemptions [to the rule]. There is the low-use exemption for trucks that travel less than 1,000 miles per year, but you can’t do much with 1,000 miles. There’s also a NOx exemption for trucks that are operated only in about the northern third of the state. They will be able to continue to use those older trucks as long as they have a diesel particulate filter.”
Listen to the radio report below.
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