Diesel-powered on-track equipment: decommissioning: resale and transfer restrictions.

Senator Cortese's legislation restricts public entities from transferring decommissioned diesel-powered rail equipment, establishing new parameters for the disposal of locomotives and other on-track vehicles that operate on diesel engines. The measure creates specific conditions under which agencies may transfer ownership of such equipment after it is removed from service, requiring that vehicles meet federal Tier 2, 3, or 4 emissions standards, achieve equivalent emissions levels, or have diesel engines removed entirely.

The bill defines diesel-powered on-track equipment as any locomotive, car, rolling stock or device operated on stationary rails with a diesel engine. Under the new provisions, public entities must obtain authorization through a public hearing before transferring ownership of decommissioned equipment that meets the specified emissions criteria. The legislation stems from findings about diesel particulate matter, fine particulates, nitrogen oxides and greenhouse gases emitted by locomotives operating near residential and workplace locations. The bill's authors note that communities adjacent to rail operations face heightened exposure to these emissions.