Following decades of complaints from residents about idle trains and toxic pollution, L.A. City Councilmember Kevin de León announced plans on Thursday to pursue legal action against Union Pacific Railroad for alleged environmental and public safety violations.
De León intends to file a motion with the L.A. City Council on Friday, urging the City Attorney to consider legal action. He accused Union Pacific of failing to consistently adhere to federal safety standards despite the railroad conglomerate generating significant annual profits, raising concerns about its impact on Latino communities.
“For far too long Union Pacific has exploited our community, treating the people of El Sereno and Lincoln Heights like disposable resources, but we’re here to say today that those days are over,” said De Léon.
At a press conference in Lincoln Park, De León unveiled findings highlighting the regularity of Union Pacific’s violations, including idle trains obstructing intersections and severely disrupting emergency vehicle access to County USC Hospital.
Cameras installed by De León captured over 36,000 minutes (more than 25 days) of train halting, according to a press release.
The CD 14 representative announced that two cameras installed on Valley Boulevard between San Pablo Street and Vineburn Avenue showed trains stopped for up to 670 minutes, with a monthly average of 360 minutes, and that footage showed an average of 42 people, including youth, crossing between rail cars each month.
Footage shared from the press conference displayed alarming scenes of youth crossing through the stopped trains, climbing over ladder steps to reach their destination. According to the councilmember, there are 10 schools within 2,500 feet of the tracks that are affected by the idle trains, leaving school children at risk.
De León strongly condemned what he described as environmental injustice caused by diesel fumes and toxic pollutants from the transportation vehicles, emphasizing their severe impact on public health. He criticized the prioritization of corporate profits over the well-being of community members and their families.
Joe Pritchard, a 46-year-old resident of Lincoln Heights, has lived near train tracks on Alhambra Ave. for a decade. His biggest concern, he says, is the frequent idling of trains that pose a health risk to his family, particularly to his seven-year-old son.
“It’s a daily occurrence that we’ll get a diesel train idling directly in front of our house. Maybe 20 feet from our front door and they’ll be there for 30 minutes at a time, and this happens multiple times a day,” said Pritchard.
Pritchard said he has yet to receive a response despite reaching out to various authorities over the years, including council members, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the EPA, and state representatives.
In August, the South Coast Air Quality Management District voted unanimously to require rail yard operators, including Union Pacific, to cut nitrogen oxide emissions significantly.
These new regulations aimed to tackle pollution from diesel-powered trains in Southern California’s goods movement sector that contribute nearly 22 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions daily—around 9% of the region’s total smog-forming pollution.
Union Pacific addressed the councilmember’s allegations by stating it has not received any communication from his office regarding the concerns mentioned and has only been contacted about unrelated matters.
“We would welcome an open dialogue with the appropriate city leaders to discuss any concerns with our operations,” the company shared in a statement to The Beat.
They shared that they also welcome the public to reach out with concerns at (888) 877-7267.
