Proposed In-Use Locomotive Regulation

 September 21, 2022

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has successfully introduced several programs to transform California’s freight transportation systems to reduce community impacts from the movement of people and freight. However, there is still work to do as the freight transportation network expands and locomotives remain a large contributor to poor air quality in the state.

 

CARB is proposing the In-Use Locomotive Regulation to reduce criteria pollutants, toxic air contaminants, and greenhouse gas emissions from locomotives in-use. The proposed regulation is intended to be implemented statewide

 

The goal of the proposed regulation is to accelerate adoption of advanced cleaner technologies for all locomotive operations.  As discussed in CARB’s draft 2022 State Strategy for the State Implementation Plan, zero-emission technologies are critical to the State’s ability to protect public health, address climate change, and meet both state and federal air quality standards.  

 

We plan to take this important regulation for public health to our Board for initial discussion November 17, 2022. This hearing will be the first of two Board hearings, where the Board may give staff direction to modify the proposal. This is an opportunity for all voices to be heard—those of community members, members of the public, and regulated stakeholders. The Board hearing will take place in-person at the CalEPA Headquarters and virtually via Zoom, a web-based video conferencing service. Members of the public who wish to comment verbally can register for the webinar at the link below.

 

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/ma111722

 

Members of the public who wish to submit a written comment on the proposal can do so at the link below.

 

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/rulemaking/2022/locomotive

 

More background and the key elements of the proposed In-Use Locomotive Regulation can be found in the Locomotive Regulation Factsheets on the Reducing Rail Emissions in California Webpage. 

 

Background: Locomotives contain the large engines that are used to move railcars that together form a train. Locomotives travel throughout the state to seaports, railyards, and other locations that are near where people work and live. Current locomotive engines emit multiple air pollutants, including diesel particulate matter, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and greenhouse gases (GHG). Exposure to toxic and harmful diesel emissions is known to lead to cancer and increases in asthma, heart illness, lung illness, hospitalizations, and premature death. Disadvantaged communities are often more affected by these emissions because of their close proximity to where locomotives are used most.

 

Because locomotives can move large amounts of freight using less fuel than other modes of transport, they historically have been considered one of the most efficient ways to move goods. However, beginning in 2023, trucks will emit less air pollution than the average locomotives in use in California, thanks to increasingly more stringent CARB truck regulations. Visit the Draft Truck vs. Train Emissions Analysis webpage for more information.

 

To address air pollution from locomotives, CARB is proposing the In-Use Locomotive Regulation. The proposed regulation would:

 

(1) Require locomotive operators to set aside money for cleaner locomotives and technology development

(2) Require by 2030 that locomotives operating in CA be less than 23 years old

(3) Have zero-emission requirements for locomotives operating in 2030 and later

(4) Require location-specific reporting of CA locomotive activity

(5) Give CARB the right to enforce the federal 30-minute idling limit

 

The proposed regulation encourages zero-emission technology be used earlier than 2030 by giving credits to locomotive operators who do. These credits can be used to decrease the amount of money they need to set aside for cleaner locomotive development. If the operators use the zero-emission technology in a disadvantaged community, they will receive double the credit. The purpose is to incentivize locomotive operators to concentrate their earliest zero-emission locomotive use within disadvantaged communities.

 

The regulation is expected to save Californians a total of about $32 billion in health costs from avoided premature deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits.