2005 RES R-31-05 - Laserfiche WebLink

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South Coast Air Quality Management District R E C 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar CA, 91765 Contact: Janet Laiblin Phone: 909-396-2713 0 2005 Fax: 909-396-3968 Qfry Up C'U E-mail: jlaiblin@aqmd.gov L A "'d NArQ11-,g GFRGC Remote Air Pollution Sensing Program for Railroad Locomotives (AB 1222 — Jones) A Legislative Bill to Facilitate the Detection and Reporting of Highly Polluting Locomotives Over ninety percent of Californians breathe unhealthful air. California's air pollution control programs for mobile sources and fuels have helped to reduce emissions of air contaminants, but significant additional reductions in mobile source emissions are needed for the state to attain and maintain state and national ambient air quality standards, as well as reduce the effects of emissions of toxic air contaminants such as diesel exhaust. Railroad locomotives create a large amount of air pollution in California. The state board estimates that locomotives emit over 184 tons of smog -forming nitrogen oxides per day in the state. Locomotive exhaust also includes diesel particulates, which are designated toxic air contaminants based on carcinogenic effects. Because of the size of locomotive engines, the close proximity of their operations to populated areas, and the toxic nature of diesel exhaust, high -polluting locomotives can pose a unique risk to public health and safety. Diesel exhaust emissions are responsible for 70 percent of the cancer risk from air pollution in California. These emissions are also preventing California from achieving state and federal clean air standards because of the oxides of nitrogen. Over the years, stringent regulations in California have reduced emissions by over 90 percent from most significant stationary sources and from motor vehicles and other mobile sources under the jurisdiction of state and local authorities. However, locomotives have been controlled far less stringently and therefore have not achieved their fair share of emission reductions needed to meet state and federal clean air standards. The ability of state and local governments to control emissions from these sources is constrained. Although federal law mandates that the state adopt rules to attain national ambient air quality standards, it preempts state and local jurisdiction from establishing exhaust emission standards or other requirements related to the control of emissions from this significant pollution source. However, new technologies such as remote air pollution sensing, can be used to identify high - polluting locomotives. Coupled with a program to alert the owners and operators of these locomotives (along with the community) as to which units are creating excessive air pollution - maintenance, repair, or replacement can be recommended on a voluntary basis to help reduce the public's exposure. This proposal would direct the California Air Resources Board to establish a program to utilize remote -sensing technology, on a statewide basis, to monitor railroad locomotives and encourage voluntary repair, maintenance or replacement of high -polluting locomotives by their owners or operators. It would also provide a mechanism to allow the public easy access to the monitoring results so that they can be aware of air emissions within their communities. The cost of this state program would be recovered through authorization by this proposed bill from a minimal fee levied upon the owners and operators of the locomotives. The South Coast Air Quality Management is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and the major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.