California is often heralded for leading the charge in climate change action. State legislation places an express focus on reducing emissions primarily in the transportation sector, which is known as one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In particular, a heavy focus has been placed on air pollution from light-duty vehicles, and medium and heavy duty trucks which combined make up 36.3% of GHG emissions in the State.
Existing law designates the State Air Resources Board as the primary agency responsible for monitoring and regulating these emissions. Only until recently has the California legislature begun addressing an overlooked portion of the transportation sector: mobile fueling on-demand.
In February, Assembly Member Quirk introduced AB 905, a bill cosponsored by Assembly Members Baur-Kahan, Berman, Flora, and Greyson, that regulates mobile fueling on-demand tank vehicle performance standards.
Under this bill, mobile fueling would be regulated as a mobile source and its equipment certified for vapor recovery. At present, mobile fueling is regulated as a stationary source (a designation one commonly associates with traditional gas stations). Not only does this cause regulatory confusion since mobile fueling, by definition, entails a moving tanker truck to deliver fuel to clients, but also prohibits accurate measurements of vapor emissions. The proposed bill tightens requirements on mobile fueling units to ensure proper vapor recovery techniques, and equipment, are used and regulated.
This bill arrives at a pivotal juncture in California emission regulations. The state has moved past the climate policy planning phase into the implementation of the global energy transition away from fossil fuels to greener alternatives.
Legislation of this kind will complement the transition as current fossil fuel infrastructure rises to meet high environmental standards in the interim. Assembly Member Quirk’s bill proposes to make corrections to an outdated regulation that withholds necessary standards in the mobile fueling industry for proper fueling and vapor recovery.