Lower Emissions Cargo Handling Equipment Pilot program.

Assembly Member Muratsuchi's Lower Emissions Cargo Handling Equipment Pilot program establishes new parameters for cargo handling equipment at California's ports and intermodal railyards, creating a framework for equipment that meets specific carbon dioxide emission standards. The program applies to self-propelled vehicles and equipment used to lift or move container cargo, including top handlers, side handlers, straddle carriers, reach stackers, forklifts, loaders, and aerial lifts that emit less than 1 g CO2/kWh or less than 1 g CO2/km.

Under the program, manufacturers must obtain third-party validation of their emission certifications and affix labels to qualifying equipment indicating program participation and purchase dates. Equipment must include documentation of its useful life, which cannot exceed the average operational lifespan specified in existing state regulations. The State Air Resources Board cannot adopt regulations prohibiting the use of equipment purchased through this program before December 31, 2027, for the duration of its documented useful life.

The bill maintains the board's authority to implement future emission standards while providing certainty for early adopters of lower-emission technologies. The program operates without additional rulemaking requirements, taking effect immediately upon adoption. Automated cargo handling equipment, on-road vehicles, excavators, and dozers are excluded from the program's scope.