Input for Clean Air Action Plan to begin July 19

Los Angeles and Long Beach ports plan to jointly approve updated plan in November.

SAN PEDRO — A draft update of the Clean Air Action Plan, or CAAP, by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles will be released to the general public July 19, launching an estimated four-month process to revisit air quality reduction and freight movement strategies.

The public comment period will continue for two months before harbor commissioners at both ports begin deliberating the 2017 draft update.

Public comments can be submitted to both port districts through Sept. 18 (5 p.m.); a public workshop will be held Aug. 30 for in-person submissions.

Harbor Commissions for both ports are expected to jointly vote on the final update in November.

The CAAP 2017 update, according to Port of Los Angeles staff, seeks to develop “new strategies to further reduce air emissions and support the statewide vision for more sustainable freight movement.”

Both ports began implementing air quality improvement policies in 2006, when the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan was adopted. The plans mission was to reduce pollution sourced from everyday harbor infrastructure (cargo-handling equipment, ships, trains, trucks, etc.).

Diesel particulate matter at both ports were reduced to 85 percent, nitrogen oxides were cut in half and 97 percent of sulfur oxides were eliminated since 2005, according to Port of Los Angeles staff.

Greenhouse gases were reduced by an average of 12 percent at both ports in the same time period, Port of Los Angeles staff added.

The impending public comment period is part of routine update for CAAP. The first update was in 2010.

Port of Los Angeles staff stated the 2017 update “has been under development for more than a year and contains new strategies from all sources that move cargo through the ports, including the deployment of zero and near-zero emission trucks and cargo-handling equipment, and the expansion of programs that reduce ship emissions.”

More information on the CAAP 2017 update is available online at cleanairactionplan.org. Comments, questions or requests for presentations can be submitted via email to caap@cleanairactionplan.org.

The Aug. 30 public workshop will be held at 5 p.m. at Banning’s Landing, 100 E. Water Street, Wilmington 90744.

 

One thought on “Input for Clean Air Action Plan to begin July 19

  • September 8, 2017 at 12:47 pm
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    Join with others in the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbor areas to make public comments at up coming CAAP meetings. The current CAAP does not remove all the diesel trucks until 2035 – 17 years from now! Speak up to move the ports off diesel trucks within 5 years. Please sign up on the website to get involved and start cleaning our air now.

    Reply

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