Port of Long Beach takes action to reduce air pollution by 80 percent within four years

In order to reduce air pollution at the Port of Long Beach by 80 percent, the commission has set up a series of actions to achieve the goal. First, all trucks used are required to meet clean truck, maintenance, security and health insurance requirements. A $2 billion subsidy program will be provided to finance the lease or purchase clean trucks. Second, all trucks must be registered and will be tagged with radio-frequency identification devices to enforce compliance. Lastly, minimum of 50 percent of fuels run on Clean Trucks Program-finance trucks is required to use alternative fuels such as liquefied natural gas.

However, the environmentalists and Los Angeles port officials oppose the move and reported “environmentalist and the international Brotherhood of Teamsters had hoped Long each would take a radically different approach – that trucking and shipping companies would be compelled to hire the truckers. The burden of owning, operating and maintaining the fleet of cleaner big rigs would fall to the companies.”