CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD


NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE "REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD TO THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION ON VIOLATIONS OF STATE FUELS SPECIFICATION REGULATIONS PURSUANT TO HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 43032"

The Air Resources Board (the "Board" or "ARB") will conduct a public meeting at the time and place noted below to consider the approval of the "Report to the Legislature on Violations of State Fuels Specification Regulations."


DATE:

  April 25, 2002

TIME:

  9:00 A.M.

PLACE:

  California Environmental Protection Agency
Air Resources Board
Central Valley Auditorium
1001 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

This item will be considered at a two-day meeting of the Board, which will commence at 9:00 a.m., April 25, 2002 and may continue at 8:30 a.m., April 26, 2002. This item may not be considered until April 26, 2002. Please consult the agenda for the meeting, which will be available at least 10 days before April 25, 2002, to determine the day on which this item will be considered.

This facility is accessible to persons with disabilities. If accommodation is needed, please contact ARB's Clerk of the Board by April 11, 2002, at (916) 322-5594, or Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) (916) 324-9531, or (800) 700-8326 for TDD calls outside the Sacramento area.

If you are a person with a disability and desire to obtain this document in an alternative format, please contact the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator at
(916) 323-4916, or TDD (916) 324-9531, or (800) 700-8326 for TDD calls from outside the Sacramento area.

In 1995, Senate Bill 163 established a new mechanism for assessing civil penalties for violations of the State's clean fuel laws. The provisions of this bill were to remain in effect until January 1, 1999, and then repealed unless the Legislature deleted the repealer clause or extended the sunset date. In 1998, the Legislature did extend the sunset date to January 1, 2003. To help the Legislature further evaluate the new penalty structure, it directed the ARB to report to the Legislature on January 1, 2002, regarding fuels specification violations, settlements thereof, and compliance rates.

Staff reviewed fuels specification violations that occurred between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2001, as well as settlement penalties for that period, for comparison with settlements reached before implementation of SB 163. The report concludes that the new penalty structure is achieving the purposes of the Legislature and is not significantly altering historic penalty levels.

ARB staff will present a written report at the meeting. Copies of the report may be obtained from the Board's Public Information Office, 1001 "I" Street, 1st Floor, Environmental Services Center, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 322-2990, on April 15, 2002. The report may also be obtained from ARB's internet site at http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/enf.htm.

Interested members of the public may also present comments orally or in writing at the meeting, and in writing or by e-mail before the meeting. To be considered by the Board, written comments not physically submitted at the meeting must be received no later than 12:00 noon, April 24, 2002, and addressed to the following:

Postal mail is to be sent to:

Clerk of the Board
Air Resources Board
1001 "I" Street, 23rd Floor
Sacramento, California 95814

Electronic mail is to be sent to:
fuelrprt@listserv.arb.ca.gov and received at the ARB no later than 12:00 noon, April 24, 2002.

Facsimile submissions are to be transmitted to the Clerk of the Board at
(916) 322-3928 and received at the ARB
no later than 12:00 noon, April 24, 2002.

The Board requests, but does not require, 30 copies of any written submission. Also, the ARB requests that written and e-mail statements be filed at least 10 days prior to the meeting so that ARB staff and Board members have time to fully consider each comment. Further inquiries regarding this matter should be directed to Janice Ross, Staff Air Pollution Specialist, (916) 327-1526, Post Office Box 2815, Sacramento, CA 95812.

CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD


//s//

Michael P. Kenny
Executive Officer


Date:


The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our Web-site at www.arb.ca.gov.