Comment Log Display

Dear Chair Nichols: 

On behalf of FuturePorts, I want to express my appreciation for
the opportunity to comment on the ARB staff’s Draft Recommendations
to Implement Further Locomotive and Railyard Emission Reductions
(“the Recommendations”)  being presented to the Board Members at
the ARB board meeting on September 25th.

Representing a broad spectrum of the businesses in the Southern
California goods movement supply chain, FuturePorts recognizes the
San Pedro Bay Ports as regional assets, and advocates for balance
between economic growth and environmental stewardship. 

FuturePorts urges Board to maintain the efficiency of the goods
movement system by implementing ARB staff’s recommendation to
pursue an incentive program to maximize the emissions reductions
from locomotives throughout the state.  Transporting goods by rail
yields criteria pollutant emission benefits, reduces GHGs, and
improves freeway congestion for certain key moves as a part of the
goods movement system. Operational impacts on one piece of the
system can cause disruption to the associated ship, rail, and truck
operations throughout California. It is imperative that any action
by ARB preserves the efficiency of the system as a whole, and
further reduce emissions within that context. 

ARB and the San Pedro Ports have had significant success with
incentive programs to reduce emissions in partnership with
international trade industries. Pursuing the incentive program will
allow ARB to achieve their goal of reducing DPM from goods movement
sources 85% by 2020. Full implementation of the proposed locomotive
measures in the staff’s Recommendations “translates to a 65 percent
reduction in potential cancer risks in communities surrounding
railyards by 2015 and 85 percent reduction by 2020” (Page ES-3).

Right now, in Southern California, the unemployment rate is
soaring and thousands of people are looking for work. International
trade is a vital economic engine in California and must be allowed
to thrive, especially in tough economic times. California must seek
methods – like this incentive program—to preserve competitiveness
and efficiency of the goods movement system, while driving down
emissions in California. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.


Sincerely,
 
Elizabeth Warren
FuturePorts