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Major Legislation to Clean Up Port Pollution Passes California Senate and is Landing on Governor Schwarzenegger’s Desk

3,700 Californians Die Prematurely Each Year Due To Pollution From Ports And Freight Transportation

By Frank D. Russo

It has taken 4 years of dogged determination by Senator Alan Lowenthal of Long Beach, but it paid off yesterday as the California State Senate on a 22-9 vote passed SB 974, the “Port Investment Bill” that will clean up port pollution and fix intersections clogged with cargo traffic. It will soon land on Governor Schwarzenegger’s desk where all eyes will be on whether the bill will be signed.

Senator Lowenthal has worked with opponents of the bill and held the bill up earlier this year at the request of the Governor, who expressed support for the concept in a September 2007 joint statement with Lowenthal. An impressive coalition supports the bill including a number of cities, health and environmental organizations, labor organizations, and business groups.

Research by the California Air Resources Board shows that 3,700 Californians die prematurely each year due to pollution from ports and freight transportation. The shipment of cargo containers, reliant on a diesel-fueled network of ships, trucks and trains, is expected to triple in the next 20 years.

SB 974 would collect $30 per shipping container (20-foot equivalent unit or TEU) that is processed through the Ports of Oakland, Long Beach and Los Angeles. This is expected to generate more than $300 million annually for investments to be equally split between: improvements in the freight rail system, with a heavy emphasis on fixing intersections where trains increasingly delay traffic, and projects to reduce air pollution from port operations and freight transportation

"This is a great day for California." said Lowenthal. "The Legislature has taken a stand. Our constituents have told us that we must deal with congestion and reduce pollution caused by the
ports. Now the Governor can stand with the vast majority of Californians and sign this legislation.”

Martin Schlageter, campaign director for the Coalition for Clean Air, one of the key supporters of the bill, summed it up: “After four years of analysis and debate, this bill remains the best funding option on the table to deal with the crises of port pollution and cargo congestion. The Ports Investment Bill deserves the governor’s signature.”

SB 974 passed the State Assembly on a 46 to 24 vote on July 15 after being amended to increase its chances of garnering the Governor’s signature. At that time, Assemblymember Hector DeLaTorre lauded Lowenthal “for his leadership and commitment over the years. It will be among the most important legislative actions we will take this year."

The bill is one that is backed by a solid majority of Californians, if that matters. The Public Policy Institute of California last week released its statewide survey showing 61% of Californians in support of the fee to be established by the Ports Investment Bill. In no region of the state did support drop below 58%. Other key findings in the report include that “Californians continue to name air pollution as the most important state environmental issue.”

However, supporters are taking no chances and are mounting a letter drive to the Governor. The California League of Conservation Voters, the largest and oldest state political action committee for the environment, has a letter on its website that it is encouraging readers to send to the Governor.

While the bill has the support of many organizations, the Senate Floor Analysis shows that it has the opposition of many powerful interests, including the California Chamber of Commerce, which has had the Governor’s ear on legislation for much of his five years in office. Take a look at the supporters and opponents and you will see the titanic battle for the Governor’s soul that this bill has unleashed. It is even opposed by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture.

And to give you an idea of the support it has engendered, consider just a few of the groups who want a signature: The American Academy of Pediatrics, California Division; American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association of California, California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, California Labor Federation, California League of Conservation Voters, California Nurses Association, California Teamsters, Coalition for Clean Air, Coalition for Clean Air, Consumer Attorneys of California, Defenders of Wildlife, Environment California, Environmental Defense, Friends of the Earth, Natural Resources Defense Council, Planning and Conservation League, Sierra Club California, State Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Union of Concerned Scientists. Add to that a number of cities, local chambers of commerce, and business and other groups.

One Republican Senator, Bob Margett, voted in favor of the bill, as did Republican Assemblyman Bob Huff last month. Both represent areas of Southern California heavily impacted by increased cargo traffic and pollution. In a posting on the FlashReport about his support for SB 974, Assemblyman Huff wrote:

“Almost half of this train and truck traffic travels east of the Rocky Mountains... That means it is the consumers of those products that will eventually be paying their fair share of this congestion relief container fee. I know of no other source of potential funding for our local transportation projects in which such a low percentage of the funds come from our own local taxpayers.”

A lot of work has gone into the passage of the bill through the legislature. Now it’s up to Californians to let the Governor know we want him to sign this bill.

For the many articles on the California Progress Report on SB 974, click here.

Posted on August 06, 2008

Comments

The California "monopoly" as a location for imports & exports may be coming to an end...a monopoly paid for by private enterprise trying to make a profit by investing into infrastructure, jobs, etc.

One state cannot change the world overnight to be more "green" which is what the "intent" of such legislation is...

Consider that shippers will seek out new ports of entry in both Oregon and Washington State...

...Or in Mexico or Canada as they will be cheaper alternatives.

California loses jobs and tax revenue as a result.

But we have done that before already and have experience chasing away business and those pesky "rich folks who don't pay their fair share", yet can afford to MOVE out of state and not pay anthing more into the states coffers...

Posted by: Jay Gould at August 6, 2008 11:02 AM

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