by US correspondent Roger Renstrom
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) plans another round of emission-standards rulemaking for off-road large spark ignition (LSI) engines, including those powering some forklifts.

On December 12, CARB, of Sacramento, said it would not proceed with current proposals: "Instead, CARB will undertake a new rulemaking that includes revisions to the fleet requirements, standards and test procedures."

Earlier proposals went through a contentious June 23 public hearing and were indefinitely postponed on September 26 (Forkliftaction.com News #228).

While the old plan is technically dead, CARB is expected to use a vast majority of its content and may act on the rule at its April meeting.

Under the Administrative Procedures Act, CARB needs to implement changes within one year of the proposal's introduction, but several delays, including stakeholder concerns and harmonisation with new US Environmental Protection Agency regulations, are likely to push CARB's final consideration beyond a May 6, 2006, deadline.

Industry remains watchful and concerned. In the next few weeks, CARB "will create a new proposal based in part on the results of our [industry] negotiations" with the agency, said Joe Hensler, president of Sacramento-based Clarklift-West Inc, which trades as Team Power Forklifts.