In a significant move towards cleaner air, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) Governing Board has adopted Rule 2306, the Freight Rail Yards Indirect Source Rule (ISR). This regulation mandates rail yard operators to meet specific emission reduction targets, aiming to curtail Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions from freight rail yards by approximately 10.5 tons per day from 2027 to 2050.
Aligned with the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) recent regulations, this rule ensures that South Coast Air Basin rail yards implement measures to achieve up to 82% emissions reductions by 2037. These measures include adopting cleaner technologies and using lower-emitting equipment.
Vanessa Delgado, South Coast AQMD’s Governing Board Chair, emphasized the importance of this rule: “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. 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.”
Mobile sources account for over 80% of NOx emissions in the South Coast Air Basin, with nearly half linked to goods movement. Railyard emissions alone contribute about 9% of total smog-forming emissions in the region. Reducing NOx is crucial to decreasing smog and meeting federal clean air standards.
The Inland Empire and Los Angeles regions suffer from some of the nation’s worst air quality, exacerbated by the goods movement sector. Yassi Kavezade, Senior Campaign Advisor for the Sierra Club, stated, “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. We appreciate the agency for passing this rule and will continue to hold regulators accountable until it is implemented.”
The rule targets owners and operators of proposed, new, and existing freight rail yards within South Coast AQMD’s jurisdiction. They must report on the planning, development, and use of zero-emission infrastructure to comply with state regulations and meet broader federal and state zero-emission goals. State and local government agencies must ensure rule compliance when entering, renewing, or amending contracts with facility owners or operators. Approximately 25 facilities across the South Coast AQMD jurisdiction are affected.
Developed over seven years with extensive outreach since 2017, the Rail Yards ISR involved input from diverse stakeholders, including communities impacted by freight rail emissions, businesses, environmental organizations, trade associations, and public agencies.
The ISR will become effective after the EPA and CARB approve the associated rules on locomotives and drayage truck fleets.
