The report, mandated every five years, was completed this spring and included a peer review by the federal Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee. Released in June, a risk-assessment report, which focused on a study regarding estimates of premature deaths associated with exposure to fine-particle pollution and involving about 500,000 people in 116 U.S. cities, included data from Los Angeles and Fresno. CARB used the same methodology, along with data from 90 fine-particulate monitoring stations in the state, to make its estimate.

However, says Mike Kennedy, general counsel for the Associated General Contractors of America, the particulate matter is not coming from construction equipment. National AGC is involved because the rules potentially could spread to other states. Still, even in California, the rules are not enforceable until EPA gives CARB permission. Then, it could take a year to get organized for enforcement, which would cause contractors to suffer considerable ?EUR??,,????'?????<