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California's Air Resources Board (ARB) has issued a regulatory advisory that describes the steps it is taking to assist vessel fleets with the transition to the 2014 compliance requirements under the Airborne Toxic Control Measure for Auxiliary Diesel Engines Operated on Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth in a California Port Regulation (Regulation).

Commenting on the issue, the ARB said: "California’s ports, terminals, and most of the vessel fleets have made substantial investments in new equipment and practices to transform their operations and meet the requirements of the At-Berth Regulation. These vessel fleets need some flexibility during the transition period from January 1 to June 30, 2014, to implement the new practices. The overall goal of this action is to recognize good faith compliance efforts while ensuring that emissions reductions required by the At-Berth Regulation are achieved in a timely manner to provide critical public health benefits for communities near ports.

"This advisory does not change the requirement that vessel operators utilize shore power if both the vessel and berth are equipped to do so. It does not provide consideration for vessel fleets that have not made good faith efforts. And, nothing in this Advisory modifies the obligations of ports, terminals, and vessel operators receiving grants under the Proposition 1B Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program or the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program for installation of the shore power infrastructure."

A link to the regulatory advisory has been provided below.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/ports/shorepower/forms/regulatoryadvisory/regulatoryadvisory12232013.pdf