A Victory In The Continued Fight To Protect The Largest U.S. Port’s Green-Growth Model
“Today’s 9th Circuit Court decision is a victory for clean air advocates. The court’s refusal to extend a Virginia-based trucking lobby’s bid to completely shut down the life-saving emissions reduction plan in Southern California affirms that the Los Angeles Harbor Commission, City Council, and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa did the right thing in passing a comprehensive, sustainable Clean Truck Program.
“But the American Trucking Association’s legal assault on the U.S. EPA award-winning program continues, and threatens the sustainability of the port’s clean-air goals, as well as every infrastructure expansion project that relies on clean trucks.
“Southern Californians deserve a unified port program that ensures companies – not low-wage workers – take full responsibility to purchase and maintain a new fleet of low-emissions and alt-fuel trucks. From our perspective, and economists agree, contract drivers are paid too little to acquire and properly maintain clean-technology trucks. The Port of Los Angeles seeks to change that dead-end cycle.
“We are hopeful that the company vehicle requirements that remain stalled despite today’s decision will be restored and the LA Clean Truck Program will be fully upheld when the case goes to trial next month. However, we cannot leave a 21st century public health crisis up to interpretations of arcane 20th century law. The industry’s vigorous opposition has compelled our nationwide coalition of more than 100 environmental, public health, labor, community, and faith organizations to join the mayors of Los Angeles, New York, Newark, Seattle, Oakland and Broward County in Florida to urge Congress to ensure local governments can fully implement market-based solutions that address the environment and improve efficiency, safety and security enforcement.
“We will not stop fighting until we achieve a stable and sustainable port trucking market that is no longer subsidized by the lungs or livelihoods of drivers and port communities.”
The Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports includes: American Lung Association of California • California State Employees Association, Long Beach • Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) • Coalition for Clean Air • Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles • Coalition for a Safe Environment • Communities for a Better Environment • Communities for Clean Ports • East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice • Engineers and Architects Association •Harbor Watts Economic Development Corporation • Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana • Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma • Long Beach Community Partners Council • Long Beach Greens • Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy • Los Angeles/Long Beach Labor Coalition • Mexican American Political Association • National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Carson/Torrance (NAACP) • Natural Resources Defense Council • Physicians for Social Responsibility • Progressive Christians Uniting • San Pedro Democratic Club • Sierra Club • Teachers Association of Long Beach • Change to Win • L.A. County Federation of Labor • UNITE HERE Local 11 • UNITE HERE Local 681 •IAM Lodge 1484 • IBEW Local 11 • IBT Joint Council 42 • IBT Local 63 • IBT Local 495 • IBT Local 630 • Local 848 • IBT Local 952 • SEIU Local 1877 • Southern California Council of Laborers