California air regulators repealed a state rule Thursday that would have mandated rail operators phase out the diesel locomotives that traverse the state, but failed to get necessary federal approval.
What happened: California Air Resources Board members voted unanimously to revoke the in-use locomotive rule, six months after the agency announced that it had withdrawn the emissions standard from consideration for an EPA waiver.
That decision came as it became clear that a waiver request would not be approved before former President Joe Biden left office and EPA came under the Trump administration’s control.
Why it matters: The repeal comes as California faces the threat of sanctions for failing to meet federal air quality standards that could put billions in federal highway funding at risk.
