Victor Valley Times

WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Jay Obernolte (CA-23), Chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, held a hearing on the feasibility of the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) rule requiring zero-emission locomotives. CARB cannot officially implement its regulation until the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants its requested waiver. If granted, this waiver could have significant ramifications nationwide and particularly impact jobs in California’s 23rd Congressional District while potentially increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

“Currently, the rail industry accounts for less than 2% of the transportation sector’s total emissions, but CARB’s nonsensical actions are threatening to derail that progress,” said Rep. Obernolte. “If CARB’s waiver is granted, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, which account for 23% of total transportation sector emissions, would become the primary means of freight transportation in California, polluting our air even further. Additionally, the waiver poses significant harm to infrastructure projects like BNSF’s Barstow International Gateway project, which would reduce the need for medium- and heavy-duty trucks while ensuring efficient supply chain pathways. I urge the EPA to consider these environmental and economic impacts and deny the waiver.”

The California Air Resources Board adopted the In-Use Locomotive Regulation requiring zero-emission locomotives by prohibiting any locomotive that is 23 years or older from operating in California by 2035 unless they are zero-emission vehicles. The rule went into effect on January 1, 2024; however, CARB must obtain approval from the EPA before fully enforcing it. Currently, no commercially available freight diesel-electric locomotives meet zero-emission standards. The best batteries built today hold less than 10 megawatt hours (MWh) of energy in a locomotive form factor, whereas an electric locomotive would need between 80 and 100 MWh to match a typical diesel engine's power.

In California’s 23rd Congressional District, the Barstow International Gateway (BIG) project is under construction and aims to provide up to 20,000 direct and indirect jobs. This project will facilitate direct container transfers from ships at Los Angeles and Long Beach ports to Barstow. If CARB's rule goes into effect, this project could be canceled entirely despite its potential to reduce port and highway congestion significantly.

Thursday’s hearing follows previous actions taken by Rep. Obernolte against CARB's rule:

In May, Rep. Obernolte led 73 colleagues in a letter opposing the EPA granting a waiver for CARB's zero-emission locomotive rule.

Rep. Obernolte also delivered nearly 2,000 letters from agencies, organizations, and constituents in his district to EPA Administrator Michael Regan expressing concerns about the waiver's economic impact on national supply chains.

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