CARB: Programs Reference Table

Scope

CARB’s regulatory programs affect nearly all vehicles operating in California, as well as stationary sources of air emissions. The implications of these activities are more far-reaching, however, as other states often follow California’s initiatives and adopt similar rules.

Regulatory citations

• California Code of Regulations, Title 13 Mobile Sources
• California Code of Regulations, Title 17 Public Health, Division 3 Air Resources
• Code of Federal Regulations Title 40, Chapter I, Subchapter C Air Programs, Part 52 Implementation Plans, Subpart F California
• Title V of the federal Clean Air Act (CAA)

Key definitions

• Alternative fuels: Fuels such as methanol, ethanol, natural gas, and liquid petroleum gas that are cleaner burning. These fuels may be used in place of less clean fuels for powering motor vehicles.
• Air toxics: A generic term referring to a harmful chemical or group of chemicals in the air. Substances that are especially harmful to health (such as those considered under U.S. EPA's hazardous air pollutant program or California's AB 1807 and/or AB 2588 air toxics programs) are considered air toxics. Technically, any compound that is in the air and has the potential to produce adverse health effects is an air toxic.
• CARB: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the agency responsible for attainment and maintenance of the state and federal air quality standards, California climate change programs, and motor vehicle pollution control in the state.
• Diesel engine: A type of internal combustion engine that uses low-volatility petroleum fuel and fuel injectors and initiates combustion using compression ignition (as opposed to spark ignition that is used with gasoline engines).
• Electric vehicle: A motor vehicle that uses an electric motor as the basis of its operation. Such vehicles emit virtually no air pollutants.
• Emissions: Released or discharged air contaminants in the ambient air from any source.
• Greenhouse gases (GHG): Atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, ozone and water vapor that slow the passage of re-radiated heat through the Earth's atmosphere.
• Mobile sources: Sources of air pollution such as automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, off-road vehicles, boats and airplanes.
• Onboard diagnostics (OBD): Devices that are incorporated into the computer systems of new motor vehicles to monitor components and systems that affect emissions when malfunctioning. If a problem is detected, the OBD system illuminates a warning lamp on the vehicle instrument panel to alert the driver. The system also stores information about the detected malfunction so that a repair technician can accurately find and fix the problem.
• State Implementation Plan (SIP): A plan prepared by states and submitted to U.S. EPA describing how each area will attain and maintain national ambient air quality standards.
• Stationary sources: Non-mobile sources such as power plants, refineries and manufacturing facilities which emit air pollutants.
• Title V: A section of the 1990 amendments to the federal Clean Air Act that requires a federally enforceable operating permit for major sources of air pollution.
• Zero emission vehicle (ZEV): Vehicles which produce no emissions from the on-board source of power (e.g., an electric vehicle).

Summary of requirements

The following table provides links to major CARB programs: