{"id":384586,"date":"2026-07-03T04:40:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T04:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/384586\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T04:40:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T04:40:09","slug":"environmentalists-sue-to-block-massive-rail-yard-in-california-desert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/384586\/","title":{"rendered":"Environmentalists sue to block massive rail yard in California desert"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (CN) \u2014 A group of environmental advocacy groups sued Barstow, California, to invalidate the city\u2019s approval of a massive rail facility in the Mojave Desert northeast of Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

The Sierra Club and three other nonprofits filed a writ petition<\/a> Wednesday in San Bernardino County Superior Court to set aside the city\u2019s approval of the Barstow International Gateway because they say it\u2019s based on a faulty and inadequate analysis of the project\u2019s environmental impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unconscionable that a city in this day and age would allow a giant industrial project that will result in so much increased diesel pollution, which is damaging to people and the environment,\u201d Seth Alston, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. \u201cBarstow needs to go back to the drawing board.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 4,500-acre facility will be the largest rail yard in the country. BNSF Railway is investing $4 billion to build the hub to streamline inland transportation of the millions of containers with imports from Asia that arrive at the ports of LA and Long Beach each year.<\/p>\n

The ports themselves are upgrading<\/a> their logistics infrastructure to move more containers off their docks by train in order to reduce the congestion and pollution of the thousands of diesel trucks that arrive daily to pick up containers and haul them to distribution warehouses in the area.<\/p>\n

The Barstow project, however, is expected to emit more than 550 tons of nitrogen oxide \u2014 the pollutant that causes serious health problems \u2014 and burn more than 18 million gallons of diesel every year, the environmental organizations say.<\/p>\n

The project will also increase greenhouse gas emissions by 134,471 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, a 41% increase over the existing emissions, they say, citing figures based on the purportedly faulty assumptions in the city\u2019s environmental impact report.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis massive rail facility will spew diesel fumes from the San Pedro Bay Ports to the High Desert of Barstow 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, adding to the dirty air that communities have been forced to breathe for decades,\u201d Yasmine Agelidis, a senior attorney at Earthjustice, said in the statement.<\/p>\n

The nonprofits argue the city didn\u2019t adequately analyze the project\u2019s effect on the Mojave fringe-toed lizard, Mojave desert tortoise, western burrowing owl and other special status wildlife and plants. They further claim the city failed to thoroughly analyze the energy, water, noise, cumulative impacts and growth-inducing impacts associated with its approval.<\/p>\n

In its June 17 announcement of the City Council\u2019s approval of the project, Barstow said BNSF had committed to zero-emission rail-mounted gantry cranes, hybrid rubber-tired gantry cranes, zero-emission forklifts and hostlers, and electric plug-ins for refrigerated units, as well as a solar farm.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis approval represents years of thoughtful planning, environmental review, public outreach, and coordination,\u201d City Manager Rochelle Clayton said last month. \u201cThe BIG Project is more than a development project; it is a long-term investment in the future of our community. The city remains committed to ensuring this project moves forward responsibly, with continued focus on public services, community impacts, and sustainable growth.\u201d<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the Barstow city manager said they hadn\u2019t been served with the lawsuit yet and had no immediate comment.<\/p>\n

Lena Kent, general director public affairs with BNSF Railway, said in a statement that the Barstow International Gateway project is a critical infrastructure investment that has strong support at the local, regional and state levels.<\/p>\n

California Governor Gavin Newsom certified the project under SB 149, the landmark legislation to streamline infrastructure development in California, underscoring its statewide importance, Kent said. The project is also specifically identified in California\u2019s adopted 2024 State Rail Plan as a key component of improving goods movement and supply chain efficiency, she added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we are disappointed by this legal challenge and its misrepresentation of the technologies BNSF will implement for this project, we remain confident in the thorough and transparent environmental review conducted by the City of Barstow,\u201d Kent said. \u201cThe CEQA document reflects extensive analysis, public engagement, and compliance with applicable legal requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n

The nonprofits claim the city\u2019s approval of the project violated the California Environmental Quality Act, and they seek a court order vacating its approval.<\/p>\n

The organizations are represented by attorneys from Earthjustice, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Biological Diversity.<\/p>\n


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