(January 3, 2005) -- 1st district Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal and 2d district Councilman Dan Baker have jointly agendized an item for the January 4th City Council meeting that seeks to have Long Beach's City Hall and Port develop a task force similar to one created by L.A. Mayor James Hahn that's now finalizing ways to achieve no net increase in air pollution with growth at the Port of Los Angeles.

"Recently Mayor Hahn developed a process for the Port of Los Angeles to ensure 'no net increase' in port pollution using AB2042’s baseline of 2001," the Councilmembers write in their agendizing memo, adding that a "task force was appointed comprised of industry users, port tenants and state and federal air quality officials, as well as community stakeholders, to develop a plan to implement 'no net increase' in pollution associated with port growth. A draft plan will be forthcoming shortly for review and adoption."

The Councilmembers recommend that "the City of Long Beach and the Port of Long Beach develop a similar task force bringing in expertise to coordinate with Los Angeles to ensure a successful process for limiting pollution in the Port complex of Los Angeles and Long Beach. I request a report from the Port on the timeline for establishing such a task force within 30 days."

LBReport.com posts the text of the Lowenthal-Baker agendizing memo in full below.

LB Mayor Beverly O'Neill has not advanced or implemented an initiative similar to L.A. Mayor Hahn's to have LB's Port operate in ways that don't worsen air pollution with growth (much less improve current air quality). LB's non-elected Harbor Commissioners (appointed by the Mayor with Council approval) currently govern a City of LB entity that (with the Port of Los Angeles) has been labelled the region's worst source of air pollution. The South Coast Air Quality Management District, state and federal agencies and academic studies have said the Ports produce airborne toxins and particulates that contribute to asthma and stunt lung development in children and increase heart disease and cancer risks for adults.

In August 2004, Mayor O'Neill gave a less than clear response when asked by an L.A. Times reporter and LBReport.com if Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger should sign or veto AB 2042 authored by then-Assemblyman, now State Senator Alan Lowenthal (D., LB-SP-PV) to prevent Port related air pollution from exceeding 2004 levels.

The LB City Council twice voted to endorse the bill, but the Port of LB opposed the legislation as did the California and LB Area Chambers of Commerce. Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill. State Senator Lowenthal has vowed to re-introduce similar legislation this year.

In September 2004, some LB Councilmembers suggested that Port of Long Beach legislative advocacy (lobbying funded in the Port's annual budget which the City Council approves) should not contradict policies set by the City Council...including the "no net increase" policy contained in AB 2042. LB's Harbor Commissioners responded by suggesting that if the Council didn't approve the Port's budget "as is" without changes, they might reexamine their budgeted transfer of millions of dollars to City Hall's Tidelands Fund. The Council backed down.

In August 2002, Councilmembers Lowenthal and Baker, whose districts respectively surround the Port and include it, agendized City Council support for a bill by Assemblyman Lowenthal to reduce truck idling times. The bill was opposed in its then-current form by the Port. It was amended in ways that removed opposition and was passed and signed by then-Governor Gray Davis.

In December 2002, the two Councilmembers spearheaded a Council measure that directed the City Manager to work with the LB Harbor Dept. to halt the idling of ships while at berth in the Port of LB.

In August 2004, the Port of LB announced it had reached agreement with British Petroleum (BP) to implement the first shoreside "plug in" electrical power (cold ironing) at the Port of LB for some BP ships while at berth. It is currently scheduled to begin in mid to late 2006.

Shoreside plug-in power has already been implemented at one terminal in the Port of Los Angeles, begun in mid-2004 following a lawsuit brought by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

In their agendizing memo for the January 4, 2005 Council meeting, Councilmembers Lowenthal and Baker write as follows: