I strongly support the Proposed
Regulation.
My family and I reside within Sacramento city
limits, on the eastern boundary of the Land Park neighborhood along
the railroad right of way immediately south of the intersection of
21st Street and Freeport Boulevard.
There is a railroad siding adjacent to our
home on the other side of the sound wall. Both Union Pacific and BNSF will often use this
siding to stage locomotives engines and cars while they wait for
additional locomotives to be brought from the Roseville
Railyard. Sometimes
this staging can last anywhere from 24-72 hours in duration. Our concern is that they
consistently leave the locomotive engines idling for the entire
duration of staging. This is a very concerning and hazardous
practice by the rail operators and presents a significant health
risk to my family and other families residing along the railroad
right-of-way. It is especially concerning because it is
unnecessary. Auxiliary Power Units should be used to maintain brake
functionality during these periods. Alternatively, if this staging
is truly such a frequent requirement, the rail operators should be
required to install shore power to satisfy the power requirements
needed for maintaining functionality to the brake system.
I fully support the proposed regulation,
specifically the limitation of 30 minutes for locomotive engine
idling, coupled with the requirement to report each individual
occurrence where rail operators claim an exemption and idle engines
in excess of 30 minutes.
Furthermore, I encourage CARB to consider the additional
measure of even further scrutiny of these exercised exceptions to
the idling limitations when the idling occurs within close
proximity to residential properties. A rail operator claiming they need to maintain
brake system functionality and idling a locomotive engine for 72
hours straight within 100 feet of my house may technically satisfy
the federal regulations but it does not mitigate the health risks
imposed on my family.
Thank you
Joseph Denton