Summary

The Clean Air Action Plan is a landmark air quality plan is a collaboration of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. It seeks to provide a comprehensive strategy for reducing port-related air pollution and related health risks, while allowing port development, job creation and economic activity associated with that development to continue.  Since its initial adoption in 2006, the CAAP ushered in a slew of anti-air pollution strategies including the ports’ Clean Trucks Programs, vessel pollution reduction programs, and advanced new technology, such as the world’s first hybrid tugboat. Updated in 2010, and again in 2017, the CAAP is aggressive, surpassing even State of California GHG reduction targets for the region. Along with industry partners PMSA and BizFed, FuturePorts has worked tirelessly on behalf of our members to communicate the realities of pushing a clean air agenda at the expense of profitability, and has consistently urged the Ports to adopt a CAAP that balances the desire to be leaders in the mitigation of port-related community and environmental impacts with the need to stay competitive and avoid placing undue burdens on the supply chain to avoid long term shifts in cargo movements that will harm our region's economic vitality. 

Background

Since its passage in 2006, the CAAP has helped drive a renewed commitment to environmental stewardship at the San Pedro Bay Ports. 

According to the Port of Los Angeles, "Updated strategies in the CAAP incorporate local, regional, state and federal standards and regulations, as well as anticipate clean air regulations under development by the California Air Resources Board. The CAAP also aligns with the vision and targets of state and local leadership, as identified in the California Sustainable Freight Action Plan adopted in 2016 and the aggressive joint zero emissions initiatives announced in early June by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia.

The 2017 CAAP sets new clean air goals focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The plan carries over previous 2023 targets for cutting other primary pollutants aimed at reducing diesel particulate matter (DPM) 77 percent, sulfur oxides (SOx) 93 percent, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) 59 percent below 2005 levels.

The most recent emissions inventories show the ports have already surpassed the 2023 DPM and SOx reduction targets and are within striking range of the NOx target. The 2017 CAAP identifies the tougher measures needed to ratchet down harmful emissions to zero or near-zero levels."

While these goals are admirable, FuturePorts and others have pointed out that the San Pedro Bay Ports market share has dropped 3.5% in the 10 years since the CAAP was adopted. Further, 96% of diesel particulate matter (DPM) from truck and cargo handling equipment has already been reduced under the CAAP's initial strategies. The 2017 revisions add a $14B price tag to a mere 4% reduction, something that could cripple the economic competitiveness of the Ports and cause terminal operators and shippers to reconsider doing business at our Ports when their contracts come up for renewal. 

Read more about the Clean Air Action Plan