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Assemblyman Lowenthal, Councilwoman
(Sept. 9, 2004) -- Assemblyman Alan Lowenthal (D., LB-SP-PV), accompanied by LB Councilwoman Tonia The legislation, authored by Assemblyman Lowenthal, requires the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to establish a baseline for air quality at the Ports of LB and L.A. based on emission inventories completed by the ports. Once the baseline is established, the Ports would be required to control operations in a manner that doesn’t exceed the baseline.
"The Governor has stated that clean air is a birthright of every Californian and pledged to reduce air pollution by 50%. Signing AB 2042 would be a great first step toward achieving this worthy goal," said Assemblyman Lowenthal in a written release.
"While I understand there is a tremendous amount of opposition from business interests on this bill, I am heartened to know that the Governor believes that we don’t have to choose between protecting our environment and protecting our jobs. I look forward to him signing this bill," he added.
In a written release, Assemblyman Lowenthal's office said:
A study conducted by these ports predicts that heavy-duty vehicle traffic (powered by diesel fuel) to and from the ports will more than double in the next 20 years, from roughly 35,000 vehicles per day to nearly 83,000 vehicles per day. "Without this law, Southern Californians are going to breathe ever more soot and smog as the Ports of L.A. and Long Beach expand," said Todd Campbell, policy director at Coalition for Clean Air in the release.. "I strongly urge the governor to protect the health of Southern Californians by signing the Clean Ports bill," he added.
"This bill is a critical test for Governor Schwarzenegger and his aspiration to be California's 'environmental governor,'" said NRDC senior attorney Gail Ruderman Feuer in the release. "The only way he can achieve his pledge of a 50 percent cut in air pollution is to take on emissions at the ports. We need him to stand up to the polluters telling him to veto this bill," she added.
"Given the existing pollution and the projected growth at the ports, the time for action is now, said Assemblyman Lowenthal in the release. "The stakes are too high and the dangers too great. We must get our hands around this problem, and this bill will start to do just that," he added.
On Sept 7, the LB City Council voted 8-0 (Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal absent for meeting) to urge Gov. Schwarzenegger to sign AB 2042. In May, the Council voted 8-0 (Councilman Frank Colonna absent for meeting) to support the bill while it was then pending in the legislature.
The Port of LB, by its Reached for a quick comment after the event, LB Councilwoman Assemblyman Lowenthal released a written statement which we post in full below.
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"AB 2042 is a smart growth measure. The bill simply states that as the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach grow and expand that they grow smartly, by simply not increasing their air pollution.
"In July, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared that 13 California counties, including Los Angeles and Orange, are shrouded with unhealthy levels of fine particles and must reduce the deadly air pollutants or lose federal funding. The two worst areas in the country were the San Joaquin Valley and the greater Los Angeles area.
"As we saw in the front page stories for both the Los Angeles Times and Long Beach Telegram [and LBReport.com], smog harms children’s lungs for life. The author of the article published today in the New England Journal of Medicine [also reported on LBReport.com] concluded that because of health effects shown in the study, any expansion of the ports should be accompanied by stiffer pollution controls.
"According to recent reports, the health impacts of diesel pollution is $21.5 billion per year in California. This report also showed that in 2004 alone, diesel pollution will cause an estimated 3,000 premature deaths in California-well above California's homicide rate.
"AB 2042 is a reasonable measure. This bill does not stop growth at the ports and it does not conflict with the Clean Air Act. This bill simply says that the Ports should be good stewards and address the severe health impacts that port operations have on the surrounding community.
"Governor Schwarzenegger has shown a commitment to the environment by appointing many strong environmental advocates to his staff. I hope that he would continue that commitment by signing this bill. While I understand there is strong opposition from many business groups, the Governor understands that that a strong business climate and a clean environment can co-exist. I look forward to him standing up for the people of the harbor area and signing this bill.
"Finally, the report being issued today by the Coalition for Clean Air and the Natural Resources Defense Council will provide the Ports and the surrounding community with a road map towards being the good stewards they can be."
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