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Last week, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced plans to further reduce air emissions at the four “highest-polluting” rail yards in the state during the next 10 years.

The southern California yards include BNSF Railway Co.’s San Bernardino and Hobart facilities, and Union Pacific Railroad’s Commerce yard and intermodal container transfer facility near Long Beach. During the past five years, agreements between CARB, federal regulators and the Class Is have resulted in halving emissions at the yards. Now, the parties will build on those reductions, CARB officials said in a prepared statement.

The board plans to reduce emissions another 10 percent to 20 percent in 2015, and another 30 percent to 50 percent in 2020 beyond previously established targets. The commitments were crafted in consultation with BNSF and UP, as well as other stakeholders, CARB officials said.

In addition, the board plans to work with the railroads and other agencies, local governments and stakeholders to identify and implement additional emission-reducing practices that could be undertaken both inside and outside the yards.