DIAMOND BAR, Calif., Aug. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) Governing Board adopted Rule 2306, otherwise known as the Freight Rail Yards Indirect Source Rule (ISR), which requires rail yard operators to take actions to meet specific emission reductions targets. The rule is expected to reduce Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emissions associated with freight rail yards by about 10.5 tons per day between 2027 to 2050.

The rule is designed to work together with the regulations recently adopted by the California Air Resources Board and will ensure that rail yards in the South Coast Air Basin reduce emissions. Freight rail yards subject to the rule will be required to achieve up to 82 percent emissions reductions by 2037 through a variety of actions including using cleaner technologies or lower emitting equipment associated with rail yards.

"While there is no single rule or regulation that can achieve federal air quality standards on its own, today's adoption is a big step in the right direction," said Vanessa Delgado, South Coast AQMD's Governing Board Chair. "There are so many communities, parks and schools that are surrounded and affected by sources associated with rail yards that will directly benefit from today's action. We will continue to reduce emissions where we are able because that is what our communities deserve."

More than 80 percent of the NOx emissions in the South Coast Air Basin are from mobile sources, and nearly half of these come from mobile sources associated with goods movement. Reductions in NOx are essential to reducing smog and meeting federal clean air standards. Communities throughout our region are exposed to ozone and fine particulate matter caused by emissions from mobile sources going to and from rail yards. Rail yard related emissions overall contribute about 9% of total smog-forming emissions in our region.

"The Inland Empire and Los Angeles regions are all too familiar with the negative effects of air pollution that come from goods movement. Not only do these areas suffer from some of the worst air quality in the country, but to make matters worse, there are railyards that border so many of our homes," said Yassi Kavezade, Senior Campaign Advisor, Sierra Club. "We appreciate the agency for passing this rule and will continue to hold regulators accountable until it is implemented."

The rule applies to owners or operators of proposed, new, and existing freight rail yards located within South Coast AQMD's jurisdiction. As part of the rule, owners and operators of freight rail yards will be required to report on the planning, development, and use of zero-emission infrastructure to support state regulations and meet broader federal and state zero-emission goals. The rule also requires state and local government agencies to require rule compliance when they enter, renew, or amend a contract with the facility owner or operator. The Rail Yards ISR covers about 25 facilities located throughout the South Coast AQMD jurisdiction.

South Coast AQMD's Rail Yards ISR was carefully developed over the course of seven years through extensive outreach, beginning in 2017. Public input and feedback was solicited by engaging with various stakeholders, including communities impacted by freight rail yard emissions, potentially affected businesses and industries, environmental organizations, trade associations, public agencies, and others.

The Rail Yards ISR will become effective after EPA approves the Rail Yards ISR and CARB's associated rules on locomotives and drayage truck fleets.

Freight rail yards covered by the rule are locations where locomotive switching activities occur or where cargo is loaded or unloaded from railcars for transportation to or from the rail yard using the rail yard operator's locomotives. Emissions associated with freight rail yards are emitted from locomotives, drayage trucks, cargo handling equipment (CHE), and miscellaneous off-road equipment like transportation refrigeration units (TRUs).

South Coast AQMD is the regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley. For news, air quality alerts, event updates and more, please visit us at www.aqmd.gov, download our award-winning app, or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram.

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SOURCE SOUTH COAST AQMD