On Friday, January 12, 2018, the California Court of Appeal overturned the trial court’s 2016 ruling against BNSF Railway and the Port of Los Angeles on nearly all issues regarding the environmental impact report (EIR) for the planned Southern California International Gateway (SCIG) near-dock intermodal rail project. The Court of Appeal concluded that the EIR’s analysis of the Hobart rail yard, greenhouse gas emissions, noise, and traffic complied with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The SCIG EIR’s air quality analysis of ambient air concentrations was the one issue on which the Court of Appeal determined additional analysis was required.
BNSF is pleased that the court has reversed the lower court ruling, correctly applied the law and maintained the existing scope of CEQA. The company is currently reviewing the ruling and will coordinate with the Port of Los Angeles regarding next steps.