LPG forklifts are typical LSI equipment

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) wants operators of off-road large-spark-ignition (LSI) engines to reduce fleet-average emission levels but, for now, is holding back on widespread enforcement.

In 2008, ARB delayed enforcement from January 1, 2009, to, at the earliest, April 1 for its new emission-level regulations for LSI engines powering forklifts and other equipment.

In December, the state agency applied to the US Environmental Protection Agency for authorisation to enforce the regulation. ARB will not begin enforcement earlier than 30 days after authorisation is granted.

ARB wants operators to determine if they are in compliance with the fleet-average emission-level standard and, as needed, buy retrofit kits or replacement equipment. An operator taking those steps is likely to avoid penalties.

ARB will allow any purchase of equipment or retrofit kits before April 1 to be included in the calculation for determining compliance with the new standard. For the calculation, an operator can use an emission rating for the new equipment or a retrofit kit in lieu of the rating for equipment that is replaced or retrofitted.

ARB plans to provide an additional compliance period for operators with six-cylinder engine equipment. At present, controlled six-cylinder engines, whether retrofit or original-equipment-manufacturer versions, are not certified to the same low emission standards as four-cylinder engines.

For existing machines, Sacramento-based ARB suggests owners install catalytic converter systems using retrofit kits such as those available from Nett Technologies Inc, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and Engine Control Systems (ECS), of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. Catalytic Solutions Inc, of Oxnard, California, acquired ECS in 2007. A retrofit kit and its installation may cost USD3,000 to USD5,000 per forklift.