Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach roll out
historic Clean Trucks Program
The celebration
The rubber is finally meeting the road on the Clean Trucks Program at the nation's two largest ports, Los Angeles and Long Beach. Today marks the first day both Ports are enforcing pollution restrictions on port trucks. This important milestone launches the ambitious modernization of the 16,000 dirty and dilapidated diesel trucks currently serving the Ports.
"Dilapidated diesel trucks clogging our highways are choking Californians with their harmful exhaust," said Candice Kim, program associate at the Coalition for Clean Air (CCA). "We're thrilled to see the ports invest in a modernization effort which will bring stability, safety and environmental responsibility to the chaotic, race-to-the-bottom world of port trucking."
The implementation
Taking a deep breath around what port communities call the "diesel death zone" will be a bit safer come tonight, as the oldest and dirtiest trucks—those made prior to 1989—are banned from moving goods to and from the Ports. The plan is designed to cut port truck pollution by 80% in the next five years. By 2012, all trucks must meet 2007 federal emission standards.
The health effects
The ships, trains and trucks that make up the goods movement system are largely powered by diesel. Diesel exhaust is well known to be hazardous to human health.
Since 1990, diesel exhaust has been listed as a known carcinogen under California's Proposition 65. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has estimated that 84% of the cancer risk from air pollution in our region is directly attributable to diesel emissions.
The long road
Today is a historic marker on this long road to cleaner trucks and cleaner ports.
Industry obstructionists have brought litigation against the Ports' truck plans and have even petitioned the Bush Administration to get involved. CCA has joined with Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council to defend the Ports' plans against this lawsuit.
Pre-1989 truck is demolished and scrapped for recycling at the Port of Los Angeles
CCA is helping steer the Ports toward success in the implementation of their Clean Trucks Program. As a leading member of the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, CCA has proven how effective relationships between environmentalists and labor advocates can be. This coalition has identified workforce issues as being central to the sustainability of any cleanup effort. The Ports' Clean Trucks Program makes use of concession agreements to ban dirtier trucks from entering the Ports while providing financial incentives for use of the cleanest trucks. This campaign is being closely watched by labor and community based organizations around the nation that are hoping to replicate both this dynamic partnership and this momentous program.
