Port of Long Beach to monitor pollution

By Bruce Monroe
January 2000

If you live near downtown Long Beach, you are used to dusting your car windows every day. The fine particulate dust is not only a nuisance, it is also a toxic air polluter.

In a victory for environmentalists and homeowners’ groups, the Port of Long Beach and the South Coast Air Quality Management District have announced the development and adoption of a multiyear program to monitor port-caused air pollution.

Every three months, studies will measure whether required reductions in airborne smog, coke dust, rubber, silt and soot resulting from harbor trucking, bulk-loading and storage are being met.
An innovative facet of the Long Beach Port approach will be to invite local schools to conduct science experiments that monitor air quality. The plan also calls for a community committee to oversee the results.

Although the Port of Long Beach has taken some preliminary steps to clean up the coal dust, the Los Angeles Port has been lagging behind. While the Port of Los Angeles has increased its tariff on cargo 10%, it has yet to announce any budgeted expenditure for capital improvements that would reduce pollution.

Earth Day 2000’s clean air agenda of clean energy and clean investments, puts an increased pressure on both the city and the Port of Los Angeles to develop and implement a plan for reducing and monitoring air-borne pollutants—a plan similar to that effected by the air quality board and the Port of Long Beach.
Residents of the cities of Los Angeles, Wilmington, San Pedro and the South Bay need to voice their concerns to their elected officials and to apply pressure on AQMD to get Los Angeles to follow the example of Long Beach.

To become involved, contact Long Beach Group Chair Bruce Monroe, 562- 430-8495 or e-mail: bmonroe@earthlink.net.

(The Harbor Vision Task Force now handles port and goods movement issues. You may contact the task force at: http://angeles.sierraclub.org/hvtf/contact/index.htm)

Bruce Monroe is chair of the Long Beach Group.