Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and 30 Republican colleagues have urged U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to reject a California climate change regulation targeting railroads. The new restriction, proposed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), would significantly burden commerce and threatens one of America’s cleanest and most efficient modes of transportation—rail.

The CARB is seeking a waiver from the EPA to enforce its In-Use Locomotive Regulation, which would require zero-emission locomotives beginning in 2030 or 2035, depending on the type, and artificially cap the lifespan of diesel-electric locomotives. According to the senators, zero-emission battery and hydrogen technology for freight locomotives is not mature, and full overhead electrification would be cost-prohibitive.

"The California rule is plainly unworkable," wrote the senators. "Railroads operating diesel-electric locomotives utilize, on average, just one gallon of fuel to move one ton of freight nearly 500 miles."

They continued: "Allowing CARB to enforce the California rule would disrupt interstate commerce and drive prices higher. Railroad transportation is vital to our economy, accounting for roughly forty percent of long-distance freight. The costs of the California rule would be staggering: CARB acknowledges an impact on over 11,700 Class I locomotives, which is roughly half of the domestic Class I locomotive fleet, with compliance costs of nearly $16 billion through 2050."

The senators argue that these costs are likely underestimated since some short line railroads might cease operations entirely. They believe these expenses would ultimately be passed on to shippers and consumers, placing greater financial burdens on everyday Americans.

"The technical impracticality, additional cost, and reduction in competition associated with the California rule are too harmful to justify any authorization to allow enforcement," concluded the senators.

Cassidy and Cruz were joined by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Thune (R-SD), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jim Risch (R-ID), Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Hoeven (R-ND), Mike Lee (R-UT), Tim Scott (R-SC), Deb Fischer (R-NE), James Lankford (R-OK), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Steve Daines (R-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Todd Young (R-IN), John Kennedy (R-LA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rick Scott (R-FL), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK.), Ted Budd(R-NC.), Eric Schmitt(R-MO.), Pete Ricketts(R-NE.) in signing the letter.

"We urge you to protect interstate commerce with a complete denial of CARB’s request," they concluded.