By Daniel Stefanski |

A Republican State Representative in Arizona is standing up to a recent proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Last month, Representative David Cook transmitted a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, opposing the agency’s “proposed waiver that would enable the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to mandate zero-emission standards for railroad locomotives starting in 2030,” according to his press release.

Cook explained that the EPA’s proposal would “have far-reaching effects here in Arizona, potentially upending the rail industry in our state.” Per Cook’s letter, the state’s rail industry “hauls over 125 million tons of cargo to and from the state through hubs like Tucson, Flagstaff, and the Phoenix area.” He stated that “Arizona’s economy is growing, and local and state leaders are counting on our rail network to help handle this growth.”

The Republican Chairman of the State House Transportation Committee warned that the EPA’s rule “threatens Arizona’s railways and our supply chain by imposing extreme financial and operational burdens on railroads, especially smaller operators, by requiring the retirement of over 25,000 locomotives aged 23 years or older.” He added that the mandate “would create a fragmented rail network that could jeopardize the supply chain, place an undue burden on rail companies, and drive-up costs,” leading to goods being driven away from rail and to Arizona highways, which would bring its own set of environmental issues.

Representative Cook ended his letter by asserting that “this unworkable policy in California could have major implications throughout Arizona and the country.” He urged the EPA “to reject the California waiver and protect our rail network and supply chains.”

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.