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  - Health costs to Californians, so far this year, of port related pollution in California.
The Ports of LA  Long Beach Clean Air Action Plan passed in November 2006, and 1500 clean trucks service the ports.
Port Pollution Facts
  • In Long Beach, 20% of children under 17 have been diagnosed with asthma - nearly twice the national average.
  • $67 million: The cost of respiratory problems associated with ports in CA.
  • Diesel Exhaust is responsible for 84% of the cancer risk from air pollution in the Southern California Air Basin.
  • $19 BILLION: Cost on health system due to port pollution. average.
  • Each day the Port of LA emits over 30 tons of NOx, while a half a million cars emits less than 24 tons and the average power plant emits less than 5 tons.
  • 2,400 - Estimated number of premature deaths caused by diesel emissions.
  • 800,000: Number of children that pollution reduction could save from lung disease.
  • Each day the Port of Los Angeles emits over 30 tons of NOx, while a half a million cars emits less than 24 tons and the average power plant emits less than 5 tons.

More than 5,000 people urge CARB to fight toxic diesel pollution
More than 5,000 people urge CARB to fight toxic diesel pollution

Today, CleanPorts petition is delivered to Air Resources Board meeting -- & discussed at 11AM NEWS CONFERENCE with other environmental, health and community groups

Contact Information: Rupal Patel
Release Date: June 21, 2007

LOS ANGELES – More than 5,000 people have signed a petition urging Governor Schwarzenegger’s air quality regulators to include tough pollution reduction measures on the goods movement industry – the trucks, trains and ships responsible for 75% of the state’s diesel Particulate Matter (PM) pollution and 30% of dangerous, smog-forming NOx – in its immediate implementation of AB32, the state’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act. The 5,173 signatures – including 4,910 from California – were delivered to the California Air Resources Board today at its board meeting in Los Angeles, by Communities for Clean Ports (CCP) – a non-profit public education campaign to end the Port Pollution Poisoning that harms everyone in the LA-region and costs all Californians billions of dollars.

At an 11 a.m. news conference today – on the Mezzanine Level of the LAX Marriott Hotel – immediately following consideration of the AB 32 “Early Action Measures,” CCP Outreach Director Rupal Patel was joined by other environmental, health and community groups to discuss the petition. Its measures are included in the recommendations of the Environmental Justice Advisory Committee for the Implementation of AB32. The petition reads, in part:

“I urge you to reverse your decision to leave goods movement pollution reduction strategies out of your Early Action Measures for addressing global warming. By limiting PM and NOx pollution as part of your AB 32 Early Action Measures, the Air Resources Board can act aggressively to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases. Specifically, I believe that CARB should include the following Early Action measures:

  • Require the cleanest available Heavy-Duty Trucks. (Each truck should meet the EPA's highest clean air standards -- for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and diesel particulate matter (DPM) -- at the time of purchase. Dirtier trucks should not be grouped with clean trucks, thereby allowing fleets to lower their average criteria pollutant emissions.)
  • Require the cleanest available Cargo Handling Equipment (such as "yard tractors").
  • Require large ocean going vessels to use cleaner shore-based electrical power ("cold ironing") when in port harbors (instead of burning dirty bunker fuel).

“As this state’s chief air quality regulator, the Air Resources Board is responsible for protecting the health of the millions of California residents suffering from goods movement-related pollution – and for upholding Governor Schwarzenegger’s promise to fight global warming. So it is vital that you use all the resources at your disposal to aggressively limit deadly goods movement emissions – especially since trade is projected to triple or quadruple over the next decade or so.”

For more information, and to read the full text of the CCP petition, visit www.CleanPorts.org/action_center.