Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continue to address clean air issues

As Thanksgiving approaches, authorities at the nation’s two largest seaports have noted that they are Aggressively deploying zero and near-zero emission trucks and cargo-handling equipment and expanding programs that reduce ship emissions as future “core strategies.”

The announcement comes as the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are proposing the next version of San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP).

Proposals also focus on freight infrastructure investment, innovation and technology to improve supply chain efficiency, comprehensive energy planning, and increased advocacy for stricter emissions standards and government incentives to help pay for projects that advance testing and commercialization of zero and near-zero emission vehicles. The updated CAAP provides one of California’s first opportunities to implement the vision laid out in the State’s Sustainable Freight Action Plan.

Sustainability and community awareness were among the chief topics covered in the American Association of Port Authorities’ annual conference last month in New Orleans. The 2017 event is scheduled to be held in Long Beach.

Ports officials met recently to mark the 10th anniversary of the landmark initiative and unveil the CAAP 2017 Discussion Document, which outlines new concepts under consideration for the third iteration of the CAAP. Building on the unprecedented success of the earlier plans, the working document contains the boldest measures yet for moving the San Pedro Bay ports toward their ultimate goal of eliminating all harmful air pollution from port-related sources.

The Discussion Document prioritizes reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from port-related sources 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The target aligns with California’s clean air goals and objectives in the state’s new Sustainable Freight Action Plan, as well as efforts by the cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach to shrink GHG emissions ahead of state targets. Cutting GHG emissions also helps the ports maintain and increase their dramatic progress in reducing other key pollutants, namely diesel particulate matter (DPM), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx).

The joint meeting kicked off a three-month public review and comment period that extends through Feb. 17, 2017. The ports plan to incorporate public comments received and present the 2017 CAAP Update for final consideration by their governing boards in spring 2017 at another joint harbor commission meeting.