CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS SAVED BY TRUMP: The Green Bullet You Might Not Have Noticed

By Morgan Murphy |

In his first week in office, President Donald Trump took significant strides toward reshaping America’s energy landscape, reversing policies established under the Biden administration. His focus on energy dominance has led to renewed optimism among Californians, who have seen the “Trump effect” impact state energy policies even before he officially took office.

Days before the inauguration, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) withdrew its request for a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency aimed at extending its electric vehicle mandate to freight trains. This decision stemmed from uncertainties regarding the incoming administration’s stance on environmental regulations. The ambitious regulation proposed phasing out diesel trains by 2023 for all rail types, mandating a transition to zero-emission alternatives by 2035.

While this regulation has been paused, it mirrors ongoing green energy efforts that CARB aims to revive under future Democratic leadership. However, the focus on such ambitious regulations is fraught with potential challenges.

Citing net benefits, CARB underestimated the substantial infrastructure costs required for converting diesel engines to electric or hydrogen models. A recent report highlighted significant challenges, including pressures on California’s already overstretched electricity grid and misleading claims about emissions reductions.

With the highest electricity prices in the U.S., California faces an anticipated 76% increase in grid demand over the next 20 years as more devices connect to it. Such projections raise concerns about the stability of the grid, which has already become less reliable due to increased reliance on renewable energy sources. This reliance intensifies the risks of brownouts and blackouts.

The proposed mandate for zero-emission rail technologies would exacerbate these existing issues. CARB’s assumption of an adequate energy infrastructure is unrealistic given the current capabilities. Implementation of the mandate would necessitate extensive upgrades to transmission systems and power generation, primarily relying on natural gas, which constitutes 39% of California’s energy mix.

CARB’s assertion that the rule would dramatically decrease harmful emissions is questionable. The transition to fully renewable power systems within the timeframe outlined in the rule is improbable. Moreover, the development of new natural gas generation capacity would likely negate some of the purported benefits of switching to electric trains.

Furthermore, CARB considered hydrogen as an alternative to electrification, a switch that would also demand additional infrastructure and further increase costs. The current methods for hydrogen production do not promise substantial reductions in emissions, as they heavily rely on fossil fuel sources, primarily natural gas.

The regulation aimed at transforming locomotive energy consumption appears to be a costly venture with minimal rewards. Californians were spared from the impending energy policy disaster thanks to President Trump’s decisive actions. In light of these developments, Governor Gavin Newsom might reconsider the advantages of dismantling some of California’s costly regulatory measures.

Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Tom Pyle is a contributor to The Daily Caller News Foundation and the President of the Institute for Energy Research.