California’s In-Use Locomotive Regulation

In April 2023, California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a first-in-the-nation rule limiting rail pollution. The rule will ban locomotive engines more than 23 years old by 2030 and increase the use of zero-emissions technology to transport freight from ports and throughout railyards. It will also ban locomotives in the state from idling longer than 30 minutes if they are equipped with an automatic shutoff. Other states may adopt the California rule if it is approved by the Biden administration.