Inside of a warehouse

What Is WAIRE?

WAIRE stands for Warehouse Actions and Investments to Reduce Emissions. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in California enacted this indirect source rule to reduce transportation emissions associated with warehouse operations.

Warehouse operators of facilities with an interior floor area of 100,000 square feet or more in the SCAQMD must comply with the WAIRE program (Rule 2305). This applies even if a portion of their facility is used for storage, or if the operator occupies at least 50,000 square feet of that area.

SCAQMD covers:

  • Orange County and parts of Los Angeles County
  • San Bernardino
  • Riverside

Regulation Overview

WAIRE is a truck traffic-based credit and deficit system impacting Class 2B through Class 8 trucks. Facility operators are required to monitor and submit real vehicle travel data from trucks entering and exiting the facility.

A facility’s WAIRE Points Compliance Obligations (WPCO) are totaled during preparation of the Annual WAIRE Report (AWR). It must then be offset by implementing mitigation activities from the WAIRE menu to earn WAIRE Points equal to the facility’s WPCOs.

Compliance includes either paying mitigation fees or earning WAIRE Points by implementing approved measures – such as deploying zero-emission vehicles, installing electric vehicle charging stations or installing solar energy generation. If WAIRE Points earned do not offset WPCOs, the warehouse operator may be required to pay a mitigation fee per WPCO.

WAIRE Compliance Actions and Point Values

Definitions:

ZEV – Zero Emission Vehicle, commonly battery electric vehicle or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.
EVSE – Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, otherwise referred to as an EV charging station.
DCFC – Direct Current Fast Charger, otherwise referred to as a Level 3 charging station.
L2 – Level 2 charging station, otherwise referred to as an AC charging station.

Latest Updates

As a result of WAIRE, SCAQMD has collected approximately $48 million in mitigation fees to date. These funds will support a WAIRE program to fund zero-emission projects in the region. Potential project types include onroad trucks, yard trucks, infrastructure and locomotives. The program is under development but is anticipated before the end of 2025.

The program is expected to include grants for public and private companies to reduce nitrogen oxide and diesel emissions tied to warehouse activity. These efforts aim to meet federal air quality standards and improve public health, especially in communities located near warehouses in the SCAQMD region. Examples of potential project types include zero-emission trucks, charging and fueling infrastructure, yard trucks and locomotives in communities near the warehouses. Funding will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Penske Energy offers consulting, fee mitigation and ongoing compliance tracking and annual reporting for WAIRE. Contact us for a free initial consultation.

Contact Us

For more information, please visit the WAIRE website: http://www.aqmd.gov/home/rules-compliance/compliance/waire-program