Southern California ILWU official calls for air cleanup
Member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 13 on Thursday laid out a list of air quality improvements in the Southern California ports they hope to see as part of the California Air Resources Board's Emissions Reduction Plan.
'The ILWU recognizes the vital role that our ports play in the state and the national economy, but we also must acknowledge that the costs of growth must not include neglect of the public's health,' said David Beeman, health benefits officer for Local 13. 'The union believes that sustainable, 'green' growth for our ports is the key to a safe workplace and to clean, livable communities.'
Beeman said Local 13 supports:
* Comprehensive health impact assessments at California ports for planned port expansions.
* Sulfur Emissions Control Areas, or SECAs, in collaboration with the U.S. EPA.
* Regulation of harbor craft propulsion and auxiliary engines emissions via replacement, retrofit, alternative fuels and shore power.
* Reduction of emissions from cargo handling equipment by at least the 80 percent by 2010, as proposed by CARB.
* Reducing diesel emissions from locomotives by 95 percent by 2010 (and similar reductions in NOx, and SOx), also as proposed by CARB, through the use of diesel-electric hybrids.
