Truck company pays $50,000 for air violation
Mex-Cal Truckline, also known as Cal-Mex International Broker, Inc., has settled with the State Attorney General's Office for a $50,000 fine after violating state air quality laws.
An August 2006 state investigation showed that the San Diego company did not properly self-inspect its fleet of 20-plus trucks for excess diesel emissions. The company also has a terminal in Tijuana.
Mex-Cal agreed to pay $33,750 to the California Air Pollution Control Fund, which was established to mitigate sources of pollution through education and the advancement and use of cleaner technology.
In addition, $5,000 will be paid to the Office of the California Attorney General for legal fees and $11,250 to the Peralta Community College District for California community colleges that participate in the California Council on Diesel Education and Technology Program. The program is a joint training effort by community colleges, government and industry, created to help the trucking and transit industries follow state air laws.
Comments:
I want to thank you for covering smog problems and other environmental issues in the Central Valley. Your readers might be interested in attending two FREE discussions about the community's environmental fairness concerns on Sunday, May 3: in Bakersfield at 10:30 AM at the Kern County Library's Tejon Rm, and in Fresno at 2:30 PM at the Four Points Sheraton at 3737 Blackstone Ave.
What can come out of a community discussion?
In Live Oak, a group of students, their school principal and a parent from decided that traffic through their lower-middle-class neighborhood was their greatest environmental threat. The difference between your average complainers and this group? They decided to do something about it! They created Traffic Busters in Schools, a program which encourages parents and their children to walk to school. They offered a "walking school bus" and "Walk-n-Wave on Wednesday" complete with red mitts and prizes for kids who decorated their shoes for Smart Sneaker Week. It was fun and measurably reduced air pollution.
These two Environmental Justice Summits on May 3 are a tremendous opportunity for the Central Valley community, with the discussion moderated by the Honorable Fred Keeley:
Former Speaker pro Tempore of the California State Assembly, Former Executive Director of the Planning & Conservation League, Trustee of California Ocean Science Trust, Legislator of the Year, California League of Conservation Voters, Vice-Chair of the CDP Environmental Caucus
Posted by: Barbara Graves at April 19, 2008 12:07 PM
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