BREAKING California's Air Resources Board voted to approve a rule banning the use of locomotive engines more than 23 years old by 2030 and increasing the use of zero-emissions technology to transport freight from ports and throughout railyards.
Every day, locomotives pull rail cars filled with food, lumber, oil and other products through railyards near neighborhoods in Oakland, Commerce, San Bernadino and other California cities.
Diesel exhaust is a health hazard. According to California regulators, diesel emissions are responsible for some 70% of Californians' cancer risk from toxic air pollution. The rule would curb emissions on a class of engines that annually release more than 640 tons of tiny pollutants that can enter deep into a person's lungs and worsen asthma, and release nearly 30,000 tons of smog-forming emissions known as nitrogen oxides.
Jan Victor Andasan, an activist with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, grew up in West Long Beach and now organizes residents there. It's a neighborhood near the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach that is "surrounded by pollution" from trains, trucks and industry. But some say it's too soon to implement the locomotive standards. Wayne Winegarden, a senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute, said the rule would be expensive for rail companies, and increased costs will mean higher prices for many goods that move by rail.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Opinion: California air board should set new truck electrification rulesYoung people, communities of color and low-income residents are counting on it for the environment and social justice.
Read more »
California voting to ban older locomotive enginesThe California Air Resources Board will consider regulating emissions from locomotives operating in the state. Resolution 23-12, “Proposed In-Use Locomotive Regulation,” will attempt to ban the use of locomotive engines more than 23 years old by 2030.
Read more »
U.S. air quality is improving, but 1 in 3 Americans still breathe unhealthy airThe American Lung Association finds that U.S. air quality is improving, but wildfires, drought, and inequality threaten progress.
Read more »
Air District issues first Spare the Air Alert of 2023 for smogThe Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued its first Spare the Air Alert of 2023 for smog forecast to impact air quality on Thursday, April 27.
Read more »
Toyota hydrogen power kit for semis gets green light in California - AutoblogToyota's Zero Emissions Powertrain (ZEP) has received certification from the California Air Resource Board (CARB) and seeks to replace diesel engines.
Read more »