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Reference
Caveat: Use dated material accordingly.
LB AREA POLLUTION
April 2007: AQMD Board Hears Concerns From Local Enviro Politeo Over Sen. Lowenthal's "Port Investment" Bill; AQMD Backs Bill With Modest Amendments, Remains Silent On Senator's Failure To Reintroduce "No Net Increase" In Pollution Bill
March 2007: Council Votes 8-0 To Prepare Resolution Endorsing Sen. Lowenthal's "Port Investment" Bill SB 974; Attaches No Conditions To City Hall Support But Will Send Letter To Senator Listing Local Concerns
March 2007: LBReport Makes Freedom of Information Request For City, Port, SCAQMD & CARB Docs Re Sen. Lowenthal Abandoning "No Net Increase" In Air Pollution While Urging Container Fee For Port-Related Goods Movement Capacity
March 2007: Perspective: Your Tax Dollars At Work: Read Response Of State Senator Alan Lowenthal's Office To Critical LBReport.com Editorial
SCAQMD Exec. Officer Wallerstein Calls Sen. Lowenthal's SB 974 "One Of The Most Important Clean Air Bills Proposed In Recent Years And With A Little Fine Tuning Will Provide Tremendous Public Health Benefits"
CA Air Resources Board Staff Quietly Seeks Fed'l EPA Waiver Until 2020 To Deliver Req'd Reductions In Health-Affecting PM2.5 Air Pollution Particulates; SCAQMD Executive Officer Blasts Move
March 2007: With Extended Audio/Perspective: Mayor Foster In Sac'to Urges Large Percentage Of Bond Funds For LB/LA Port Infrastructure With Each Project Linked To Specific Mitigation Funded By Container Fee Or Tariff
Nov. 2006: AQMD Holds "Town Hall Meeting" In LB, Full Board Meeting Day After At LB City Hall
Sept. 2006: AQMD Says So. Cal Endures Nation's Worst Air Pollution
Sept. 2006: LB Chamber Cheers Gov. Schwarzenegger's Veto of Cargo Container Fee SB 927
Sept. 2006: Governor's Staffers Listen, Governor Spurns Advice of Downtown LB Associates In Vetoing Container Fee Bill
Sept. 2006: Add'l Reaction To Gov. Schwarzegger's Veto Of SB 927 (Container Fee At Ports of LB/LA For Clean Air Programs, Rail Cargo Projects, Port Security); LB Mayor Foster: "Veto Solves Nothing"; Coalition For Clean Air: "Governor Schwarzenegger Let California Down"
Sept. 2006: Gov. Schwarzegger Vetoes SB 927, Sen. Lowenthal's Container Fee That Would Have Funded Clean Air Programs, Rail Cargo Projects, Port Security At Ports of LB/LA; Sen. Lowenthal Says It's "Not The End Of The Fight, Only The Beginning"
Sept. 2006: LB Mayor Foster, Sen. Lowenthal, Councilwoman/AQMD Boardmember Reyes Uranga, L.A. Councilwoman Hahn & Multiple Clean Air Advocates Tell Gov, Schwarzenegger: Sign SB 927 (Container Fee For Clean Air, Rail Projects, Port Security)
Sept. 2006: BP Working To Clean Up Release Of Approx. 1,000 Barrels Of "Refined Product" In Port of LB Area; No Product Released Into Ocean Or Tributaries, Company Says
Sept. 2006: In Depth/ Perspective: LB Area Chamber of Commerce Urges Governor To Veto Lowenthal Container Fee Bill
Sept. 2006: In Depth/Perspective: We Find Assemblymember Judy Chu (D., Monterey Park) At Local Labor Day Picnic And Ask Why Sen. Lowenthal's Port Anti-Pollution Bills (Including "No Net Increase") Were Blocked In Appropriations Committee She Chairs...And She Replies
Sept. 2006: SCAQMD Boardmember/LB Councilmember Reyes Uranga Comments On Revised Container Fee Bill
Aug. 31, 8:10 p.m : The state Senate has voted to concur in the "gut and amend" Assembly-passed version of the container fee bill (SB 927) by State Senator Lowenthal. 22 Senators voted "yes" (tally as read)...with 21 needed for passage. The action effectively sends the bill to Gov. Schwarzenegger.
About an hour later, the Senate concurred in Assembly amendments to SB 1578 by Senator Lowenthal, forbidding the tethering, fastening, chaining or restraining a dog to a dog house, tree, fence, or other stationary objects (subject to certain exceptions). That bill also now heads to the Governor.
On August 31, the state Senate took a third vote on Ass'ywoman Oropeza's diesel magnet sources bill (AB 1101) (which failed on a lopsided 9-21 vote Wednesday night). On today's final vote, AB 1101 failed on a 11-20 vote (tally as read).
Aug. 2006: Sen. Lowenthal Denies Letting Assembly Dems Kill His "No Net Increase" Port Pollution Bill ("I Fought For It"), Says He's Now Focused On Container Fee Bill (Cleared Assembly Late Aug 30 Night); Compare Original Text With Amended Version, Hear Ass'y Floor Debate (We Post Audio)
Aug. 2006: Stunner! Senate Dems Vote To Kill Oropeza's Diesel Magnet Sources Bill; We Post Tally
Aug. 2006: AQMD Says That Mystery Aug. 23 Area-Wide Odor Was...
Aug. 2006: What Was That Mystery Area-Wide Odor? AQMD Dispatched Investigators, Info Pending; Here's How Some Of Our Readers Described It
July 2006: Final LB Public Comment Meeting On Port's Clean Air Action Plan Tonight July 19 @ Cesar Chavez Park, 7 p.m.
July 2006: Port of LB Invites Public Comment On Its Clean Air Action Plan July 19 @ Chavez Park
June 2006: Port of LB Says It's Neutral On Sen. Lowenthal's "No Net Increase" In Port Air Pollution Bill Despite Opposition To Bill By "CA Ass'n of Port Authorities"
June 2006: Port Of LB Reviewing Application To Test Dockside System Proponents Say Can Catch & Treat Ships' Shoreside Engine Emissions, Cuttting Pollutants Over 95%
June 2006: Councilwoman Reyes Uranga Named To Powerful South Coast Air Quality Mgmt District Governing Board
May 2006: Port of LB Tentatively Agrees To "Landmark Lease" Amendment With SSA Terminals That Includes "Green Port" Enviro Upgrades Including Phased-In Use Of Shore-Side Electrical Power ("Cold Ironing")
[Front page advisory, Feb. 2006]: The LB City Council has voted to approve an item agendized by Councilmembers Gabelich, Reyes Uranga & Colonna putting LB City Hall on record in supporting AB 1101 (Oropeza), diesel magnet-sources anti-pollution bill (narrowly cleared Assembly, now in state Senate). Bill would require large diesel magnet sources, a category that includes LB Port and LB Airport, to prepare emission inventories and implement pollution reductions. City Manager Jerry Miller said staff favored maintaining a "watch" position on the bill (citing issues raised by City Hall-hired Sac'to lobbying firm) but also indicated city management was comfortable with Council support for the bill. Councilmembers Gabelich, Reyes Uranga, Colonna and Lowenthal spoke strongly in favor of supporting the legislation. Council vote was 8-0.
Feb. 2006: Perspective: When Particles Pollute, People Have A Right To Know
Feb. 2006: Collision Course On Clean Air Standards: AQMD Adopts Tougher Locomotive Anti-Idling Rules Than CARB-RR MOU Accepted Statewide; Next Step Up To RRs
Feb. 2006: Assembly Passes "Diesel Magnet Sources" Anti-Pollution Bill After Assemblywoman Oropeza Agrees To Take Amendments As Legislation Moves To Senate
Jan. 2006: CA Air Resources Board Narrowly Declines To Rescind (2-3 + 2 abstentions) Controversial RR MOU; LB City Council & AQMD Positions Clash With LB Chamber & RRs; One CARB Boardmember Publicly Rebukes LB Chamber's Stated Position on Environmental Justice
Dec. 2005: Ports of LB & L.A. To Begin Joint Air Quality Monitoring, Promise Data On Internet; Clean-Air Advocates React
Nov. 2005: At AQMD Board Meeting In LB:
Board Chair Burke Announces "Clean Port Initiative," Tells Ports of LB & L.A. To Speed Efforts To Reduce Emissions Or Face AQMD Regulation To Maximum Extent Possible, Including Measures On Ships
Burke Backs State Legislation For Container Fee Or Some Other Mechanism Sufficient To Fund Clean-Up
AQMD Board Enacts Regulation On "Flaring" At Area Refineries
Oct. 2005: "CA Ass'n of Port Authorities," Whose Current President Is Port of LB's Exec. Dir., Supported Controversial RR MOU Opposed By LB City Council While PoLB Remained Officially Silent
Oct. 2005: CA Air Resource Board Refuses To Rescind Controversial RR MOU, Directs Staff To Meet With RRs To Produce "Clarifying" Report In Jan '06
Oct. 2005: CA Lawmakers Voted In 2003 For Industry-Backed Bill Exempting High-Polluting "Bunker Fuel" Burned By Ships in CA Ports From CA Sales Tax, Despite Estimated Multi-Million Dollar Annual Taxpayer Cost
Oct. 2005: CA Air Resources Bd. Proposes Rule Requiring Ships To Use Less-Polluting Fuel While In Port Or Adopt Alternative Emission Strategies
Oct. 2005: P.U.! Rotten Egg Smell Wafts Across LB from Exxon-Mobil Torrance Refinery
Oct. 2005: Study Says Areas Including Downtown LB, Belmont Shore, Los Altos, Bixby Knolls At Estimated Heightened Cancer Risk From Port Operations
Oct. 2005: AQMD Executive Officer Says PoLB Should Adopt Specific Clean Air Measures Like L.A. Port's "No Net Increase" And...
Oct. 2005: Study Says Areas Including Downtown LB, Belmont Shore, Los Altos, Bixby Knolls At Estimated Heightened Cancer Risk From Port Operations
Oct. 2005: Overflow Crowd Jams Silverado Park Pre-EIR Meeting On Truck-To-RR Container Transfer Yard Proposed Next to WLB
Sept. 2005: Extraordinary Meeting As Multiple Local Officials & Members of Public Blast CA Air Resources Board's "Memorandum of Understanding" With RRs
Sept. 2005: Major Port-Related Truck-To-Railroad Container Transfer Yard Proposed Next To WLB
Sept. 2005: Councilwoman Reyes Uranga Seeks Resolutions Opposing CA Air Resources Board "Memorandum of Understanding" With RRs And Supporting AQMD Clean Bus/Trash Truck Rules
Sept. 2005: County Bd. of Supervisors Adopts Resolution Urging CA Air Resources Bd To Rescind RR MOU; Urges Support for Local & Regional Anti-Pollution Efforts Via Proposed Legislation & Rule Development & Inclusion Of Stakeholder And Public Participation
Sept. 2005: L.A.-Triggered Power Outage Triggers Smoke Plumes, Flaring From Area Refineries
Aug. 2005: Councilwoman Reyes Uranga Submits Letter To CA Air Resources Bd. Opposing Its MOU With RRs In Present Form, Prefers Legislation And Regs, Or Alternatively MOU Modifications With Public Participation
Aug. 2005: CA Air Resources Bd. Will Hold Public Meeting On Controversial RR MOU Aug. 31 In City Of Commerce, 6-9 p.m.
Aug. 2005: LB's First Solar Powered Fire Station Now Operating in Belmont Shore, Initiative By Councilman Colonna, Solar Demo Project Courtesy Of BP
Aug. 2005: Old Diesel Locomotives Operating Inside Ports of LB & LA To Be Replaced With New Clean Diesel Rigs; Add'l Anti-Pollution Measures Being Implemented & Tested
July 2005: Gov. Schwarzenegger Appoints NRDC's Gail Ruderman Feuer To Judgeship On L.A. County Superior Court
July 2005: Survey Says Air Pollution Is CA's Top Environmental Issue...With Large Margins Supporting Tougher Pollution Controls On Cargo Ships, Trucks & Trains
July 2005: In Depth: CA Air Resources Bd. Schedules Sept. Hearing To Discuss Controversial RR MOU
July 2005: NLB Residents Revolt Over 24 Hr. Port, Insist On EIR
July 2005: AQMD Governing Board Strongly Criticizes CA Air Resource Bd. MOU With Railroads, Charges It Undermines Regional & Local Clean Air Efforts
LB Mayor O'Neill Puts LB On Record Opposing MOU and Supporting Hearing
CARB Revises Its July 21 Agenda To Discuss Agency's Future Procedures
June 2005: AQMD Board Chair Burke Blasts CA ARB MOU With RR's
June 2005: First On Planet: LB Transit To Put Production Hybrid Gasoline-Electric Buses Into Regular Service June 20, Says They're Better Than LNG
May 2005: LBHUSH2 & CA Earth Corps To Set Up Multiple Monitors Letting LB Residents See Real Time Airport Air Pollution Data Via Internet
April 2005: Hearing Postponed On Ass'ywoman Oropeza's Bill To Declare Ports, Airports, Rail Yards & Distribution Centers Diesel Magnet Sources
April 2005: Councilmembers Baker, Lowenthal, Reyes Uranga & Gabelich Want City Hall To Support State Sen. Alan Lowenthal's Clean-Air Bills...Incl. "No Net Increase" In Port-Related Air Pollutants
April 2005: Sen. Alan Lowenthal's "No Net Increase In Air Pollution" Bill Advances
March 2005: Court Tells 46 Cities (Incl. Lakewood): Clean-Up Your Polluted Runoff Before It Reaches LB & Other Coastal Waters
March 2005: AQMD Settles Lawsuits Against BP Carson Refinery With Record Penalties...Incl. Money For Community Pgms. Addressing Asthma Diagnosis & Treatment
Feb. 2005: State Senator Lowenthal Introduces Five Bills Re Harbor Air Quality -- "Harbor Area Air Quality Investment Initiative" -- Including Reintroduction of "No Net Increase" Bill Backed in '04 By Council, Opposed By PoLB & Vetoed By Governor
Feb. 2005: Air Pollution Damages Babies in Womb, Study Shows
Jan. 2005: AQMD Files $183 Million Suit Against BP Carson Refinery Alleging Thousands Of Air Quality Violations
Jan. 2005: CA Air Resources Bd. Approves Funds To Study Black Particles Spewed By Aircraft Into LAX Area Neighborhoods
Jan. 2005: Councilmembers Lowenthal & Baker Back Away From Call For L.A.-Styled Port Clean Air Task Force; Council Instead Votes For Quarterly Committee Meetings w/ Port Presentations
Jan. 2005: AQMD Chair Burke Says Agency Should Focus On Reducing Toxic & Smog-Forming Emissions From Ports & Railroads in 2005, "Two Of The Most Under-Regulated Pollution Sources" in So. Cal, Plans First-Ever "Mobile" AQMD Board Meetings To Hear From People Directly Affected By Pollution
Jan. 2005: Port of LB Adopts Self-Declared "Green Port Policy." We Post It. You Read It...and Decide
Jan. 2005: Councilmembers Lowenthal & Baker Back Away From Call For L.A.-Styled Port Clean Air Task Force; Council Instead Votes For Quarterly Committee Meetings w/ Port Presentations
Dec. 2004: State Senator Alan Lowenthal & Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal Model Environmentally-Friendly Clothing @ Coalition For Clean Air Fashion Show; We Post Pix
Dec. 2004: Feds Say LB Area, L.A. & OC Fail Minimum Clean Air Stds. For Health-Risking Particulates
Sept. 2004: Air Pollution Stunts Childrens' Lung Development & Effects Last Into Adulthood, Study Indicates
Aug. 2004: Oil Bilge Spill Along Seal Beach Flows Toward LB, Closing Part of Beach from 72d-55th Place on Aug 19; It's Cleaned & Reopened Now
July 2004: Sierra Club Cites Two Dozen Peer Reviewed Studies Showing Pollution Health Hazards From Freeways and Heavily Used Roads
July 2004: CA Air Resources Bd. Moves To Curb Big Rig Truck & Other Heavy Duty Diesel Idling
June 2004: AQMD To Regulate B.S.
June 2004: AQMD Adds Two LB Area Monitoring Stns, One Permanent, One Temporary
May 2004: Fed'l EPA Implements One Cleaner Diesel Rule...And Proposes New Ones Related to Diesel Ship & Train Operations
April 2004: Report To Port Says Dockside Electric Power (Cold Ironing) To Run Ships At Berth Is Cost Effective In Some Cases, Urges Voluntary Or Incentive Pgm, Not Gov't Mandates
Feb. 2004: AQMD Begins MATES-3 (Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study) To Update Levels of Cancer-Causing Toxic Pollutants in Southland Air; Will Include LB Fixed Location Monitor, Study's Movable Monitoring Locations Not Decided Yet
Jan. 2004: City Mgt. Seeks Proposals For Comprehensive Health Risk Assessment Re LB Air Quality As Affected By LB Airport, LB Port, Area Fwys. & Other Sources
Oct. 2003: CA Air Resources Bd, Pressed By AQMD, Sets Higher Clean Air Goals & Development Of Tougher Regs As "Appropriate" & "Contingent On Feasibility" Incl. Cold Ironing Of Ships (Using Electricity In Port);
LB and L.A. Ports Oppose Adding Cold Ironing To "Short Term" Pollution Reductions (Action 2005-08, Implement 2006-2010) But ARB Includes It
Oct. 2003: CA Air Resources Bd. 2000 Map Indicates LB Airport Vicinity Has Highest Inhalation Cancer Risk in LB
Sept. 2003: Detailed, Damning AQMD Data On LB Air Toxics Cancer Risk Released:
AQMD Says Parts of LB Have Among The Highest Long Term Cancer Risk From Airborne Toxics In L.A. Basin
It's Mainly Mobile, Mainly Diesel, Bad In S.E. LA County, Worse In Some WLB, Port & 710 Areas...And Includes Some Smaller Parts of ELB
We Post AQMD's Report & Air Toxics Cancer Risk Maps
June 2003: Assemblyman Alan Lowenthal On Port Of LB Impacts...And Councilman Val Lerch's Fundamental Question On Growth
Mar. 2003: AQMD Files Civil Suit Alleging BP Carson Refinery Committed Thousands Of Air Pollution Violations Over An Eight Year Period, Seeks Record Penalty: $319 Million
BP Spokeswoman Says Allegations Relate To Processes & Procedures; Refinery Has Modified Systems To Ensure Compliance; Firm Takes Allegations Very Seriously: Believes Penalties Sought Disproportionate To Alleged Impacts It Believes Were Minimal
Dec. 2002: CA Air Resource Board Adopts Measure Ending Unnecessary School Bus & Heavy Duty Vehicle Idling
August, 2002: AQMD Chief Labels Ports of LB & L.A. "By Far The Largest Source of Air Pollution In Our Region"
July, 2002: Environmental Group CA Earth Corps Praises LB Port & Gateway Cities Council of Gov'ts Move To Reduce Port Related Diesel Emissions...And CA Earth Corps Suggests Add'l Measures
July, 2002: Fed. Court Issues Temporary Restraining Order, With Ruling Expected In Days On Whether To Grant Preliminary Injunction, Halting Construction of Massive L.A. Port Container Terminal
April, 2002: AQMD Study Estimates Air in Much of LB Carries Higher Cancer Risk Than Refinery-Adjacent Areas; See Map Estimating Cancer Risk From Multiple Air Toxics
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