SAN BERNARDINO--Officials of Burlington-Northern-Santa Fe Railroad are disputing claims that nothing is being done about the diesel pollution emanating from their West Side rail yards.

Residents and environmentalists claim that the yards have created the highest cancer risk of any in the state.

BNSF’s Lena Kent points out, “At this time, 99 percent of our interstate locomotives are equipped with an idle reduction device that automatically shuts the locomotive down after it’s been idling for 15 minutes.”

And, Ms. Kent says BNSF made this pledge in a 2005 agreement with the State Air Resources Board.

“By 2010, we expect this agreement to reduce emissions by 67 percent.”

Residents of the West Side are demanding that the railroad make the San Bernardino yards their number-1 clean-up priority.

Story Date: July 28, 2008