Post by dockworker on Jun 3, 2009 6:39:42 GMT -5
Proposed Ban on Dirty Diesel Trucks at Port of Oakland Fails
By Janis Mara
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 06/02/2009 08:17:14 PM PDT
A proposed ban on pollutant-spewing trucks at the Port of Oakland failed to gain approval at a Port Commission meeting Tuesday.
The board rejected a ban on truck models older than 1994 that would have taken effect starting Jan. 1, as well as a ban on models from 1994 to 2006 not equipped with filters, as part of its comprehensive truck management program. Later-model trucks have much cleaner emissions technology than those of previous years.
The commission agreed to reconsider the bans, and the comprehensive truck management program they are part of, at its June 13 meeting.
"I'm disappointed but hopeful for a better outcome next week," said Doug Bloch, director of the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, which supported the bans.
He and his group of environmental and social justice activists were part of a crowd of about 200 that jammed the port's public meeting room in Jack London Square, spilling into an overflow room. About 30 residents commented on the proposals.
Citing what they say are compelling reasons for the bans, environmentalists point to a 2008 study by the California Air Resources Board that found one in five children in West Oakland has asthma and that West Oakland residents have a life expectancy 10 years shorter than other residents in the city.
The Port of Los Angeles adopted a plan involving a registry and progressive truck ban in October and has seen an air quality improvement of 25 percent to 35 percent, according to representatives of that port.
The comprehensive truck management program would have mandated that the estimated 2,000 trucks that pass through the port daily would conform to a rule passed by the California Air Resources Board barring old diesel trucks from visiting ports after Jan. 1 unless they are retrofitted with filters.
Bay Area air-quality regulators, environmentalists and some neighbors say the Port of Oakland should do more to improve air quality ahead of the regulatory deadlines.
"We want to recognize the courage of the board," said Chuck Mack of the Teamsters union. Like the majority of the 30 or so speakers, Mack supported the comprehensive truck management program. The proposed truck ban was one of a number of options suggested in the program.
Critics say the Oakland port has lagged behind the Los Angeles port and its sister Long Beach port, which have adopted freight container fees to fund clean-air measures, and adopted a ban ahead of the state deadline on old diesel trucks using ports.
"At present, part of the comprehensive truck management program is underway — a truck retrofit program that was approved in April. The port is spending $5 million to help finance retrofitting trucks at the port along with a $5 million from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District," port spokeswoman Marilyn Sandifur said.
"In addition, we may be getting up to $10 million in additional funds from the California Air Resources Board to help with retrofits and truck replacements. This will go toward cleaning up hundreds of trucks at the port. We expect the trucks at the Port of Oakland will be compliant (with CARB standards) on Jan. 1, 2010," she added.
By Janis Mara
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 06/02/2009 08:17:14 PM PDT
A proposed ban on pollutant-spewing trucks at the Port of Oakland failed to gain approval at a Port Commission meeting Tuesday.
The board rejected a ban on truck models older than 1994 that would have taken effect starting Jan. 1, as well as a ban on models from 1994 to 2006 not equipped with filters, as part of its comprehensive truck management program. Later-model trucks have much cleaner emissions technology than those of previous years.
The commission agreed to reconsider the bans, and the comprehensive truck management program they are part of, at its June 13 meeting.
"I'm disappointed but hopeful for a better outcome next week," said Doug Bloch, director of the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, which supported the bans.
He and his group of environmental and social justice activists were part of a crowd of about 200 that jammed the port's public meeting room in Jack London Square, spilling into an overflow room. About 30 residents commented on the proposals.
Citing what they say are compelling reasons for the bans, environmentalists point to a 2008 study by the California Air Resources Board that found one in five children in West Oakland has asthma and that West Oakland residents have a life expectancy 10 years shorter than other residents in the city.
The Port of Los Angeles adopted a plan involving a registry and progressive truck ban in October and has seen an air quality improvement of 25 percent to 35 percent, according to representatives of that port.
The comprehensive truck management program would have mandated that the estimated 2,000 trucks that pass through the port daily would conform to a rule passed by the California Air Resources Board barring old diesel trucks from visiting ports after Jan. 1 unless they are retrofitted with filters.
Bay Area air-quality regulators, environmentalists and some neighbors say the Port of Oakland should do more to improve air quality ahead of the regulatory deadlines.
"We want to recognize the courage of the board," said Chuck Mack of the Teamsters union. Like the majority of the 30 or so speakers, Mack supported the comprehensive truck management program. The proposed truck ban was one of a number of options suggested in the program.
Critics say the Oakland port has lagged behind the Los Angeles port and its sister Long Beach port, which have adopted freight container fees to fund clean-air measures, and adopted a ban ahead of the state deadline on old diesel trucks using ports.
"At present, part of the comprehensive truck management program is underway — a truck retrofit program that was approved in April. The port is spending $5 million to help finance retrofitting trucks at the port along with a $5 million from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District," port spokeswoman Marilyn Sandifur said.
"In addition, we may be getting up to $10 million in additional funds from the California Air Resources Board to help with retrofits and truck replacements. This will go toward cleaning up hundreds of trucks at the port. We expect the trucks at the Port of Oakland will be compliant (with CARB standards) on Jan. 1, 2010," she added.