(The following story by Bill Mongelluzzo appeared on the Journal of Commerce website on April 6, 2010.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Harmful diesel emissions fell sharply at the Port of Los Angeles and in surrounding communities, according to data accumulated from air monitoring stations in 2009.
The data released Tuesday show a 48 percent reduction in diesel particulate matter compared to 2006 in the immediate cargo-handling areas of the port. Also, PM concentrations were down 34 percent in the community of San Pedro and 45 percent in Wilmington.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in 2006 approved a joint Clean Air Action Plan to reduce diesel emissions from vessels, harbor craft, marine terminal operating equipment, harbor trucks and trains.
Since then, programs have been implemented to retrofit cargo-handling equipment and harbor craft, burn low-sulfur fuel in ocean-going vessels, reduce vessel speeds within 20 miles of the coast and replace older trucks with about 6,500 clean-diesel and alternative-fuel trucks that meet or exceed the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards for 2007-model engines.
The CAAP is designed to reduce overall harbor pollution by 45 percent and truck pollution by 80 percent by 2012.