Press Release

July 15, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                             

Contact
Lisa Warshaw, deputy communications director
213.630.1192 x103 or 323.360.8778 cell
Martin Schlageter, campaign director
213.630.1192 x102 or 323.807.2505 cell

Ports Investment Bill [SB 974] Approved by Assembly
Governor Schwarzenegger’s Signature Would Fund Clean Air and Traffic Fixes

After years of work by cities, residents, labor organizations, business groups, health advocates and environmentalists, SB 974 was approved today by the California State Assembly with a 45 to 23 vote. With the upcoming expected concurrence of the Senate, it will reach Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for final approval.

“If the Governor signs this bill, he will be saving lives,” said Martin Schlageter, campaign director for the Coalition for Clean Air.

SB 974 would collect $30 per shipping container (20-foot equivalent unit or TEU) that is processed through the Ports of Oakland, Long Beach and Los Angeles.

The funds would be allocated as follows:

• 1/2 to projects that alleviate congestion and improve safety along the rail system carrying freight to and from the ports, by fixing rail crossings that increasingly delay traffic
• 1/2 to projects that reduce air pollution generated by port operations and freight transportation.

The shipment of cargo containers, both into the ports and across the state, uses a vast network of ships, trucks and trains that emit deadly pollution. This flow of trade is expected to triple in the next 20 years, taking a deadly toll on the state. The California Air Resources Board estimates that 3,700 Californians die prematurely each year due to pollution from ports and freight transportation.

Ports investment legislation has been a top priority of environmental advocates for the last three years. It would generate hundreds of millions of dollars each year to fund specific projects to protect public health and improve safety where freight is transported.

SB 974 was held back last year at the request of the Governor, who expressed support for the concept in a September 2007 joint statement with the bill’s author, Senator Alan Lowenthal. SB 974 is consistent with his previous calls for “simultaneous and continuous” investment in air quality and infrastructure.

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For more than 35 years, the nonprofit Coalition for Clean Air has been committed to restoring clean air to California. With offices in Sacramento, Los Angeles and Fresno, it is dedicated to strengthening the environmental movement by promoting broad-based community involvement, advocating responsible public policy and providing technical expertise.

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