For several years, CRC worked in partnership with a few other agricultural groups to intensively focus on California’s Zero-emission Forklift (ZEF) Regulation. In the Summer of 2024, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) formally adopted the regulation after multiple years of work by our coalition resulting in solid regulatory relief for CRC members and all of California agriculture.
The new ZEF Regulation will begin phasing out most spark-ignited forklifts used in agricultural operations starting in 2029, three years later than non-agricultural units. The rolling phase-out schedule will proceed through 2038. Agricultural operators will also be able to use their spark-ignited forklifts for at least 13 years, while non-agricultural forklifts will only be allowed a 10-year useful life. In addition, many agricultural units that can be designated as “In-field Forklifts” will qualify for an exemption from the phase-out schedule and, if affected, a 200-hour per year low-use exemption is available through 2031. Finally, we successfully argued for CARB to include certain “offramps” from the compliance phase-out schedule if necessary on-site electrification improvements are not made by utility companies by the applicable compliance dates.
The following Table, taken directly from CARB’s Regulatory Order, shows the phase-out schedule for non-exempt Small Fleets and Crop Preparation Services units:
The information provided above is a very simplified summary of a very detailed, 70-page Regulatory Order adopted by CARB. Anyone who believes they may be affected by this regulation is encouraged to read the regulation. However, as a service to our members, CRC has developed a one-page screening document that may help to better help understand how this regulation may affect its member organizations and calls out a few key compliance elements. This CRC document can be viewed here. The complete CARB Regulatory Order can be found on the California Air Resources Board website.
In closing, we want to thank staff from the California Cotton Ginner & Growers Association and Western Agricultural Processors Association who worked closely with CRC and other select agricultural groups to provide input to CARB on all of its initial regulatory proposals to help make the regulation more workable for California agriculture.
For more information, contact the CRC’s Environmental Affairs Manager Paul Buttner at pbuttner@calrice.orgor (916) 206-5340.
