Demand Real "Clean Truck" Standards for California

Dear Harbor Commissioners, Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach:

Last year, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach formally promised to replace or retrofit the 16,000 dirty diesel trucks regularly visiting the Ports in order to reduce air pollution and its health effects (cancer, respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease and other health problems) which harm millions in Southern California, and cost all state taxpayers. But Californians are still waiting for clean trucks. And industry is lobbying to preserve the status quo - a broken system that contributes to more than 2,400 premature deaths a year.

For too long, the goods movement industry has profited while failing to do its fair share to clean up the pollution it generates. Meanwhile, industry continues to defend an underground economy and wages so low that drivers can't afford the cleaner and alternative-fueled trucks and technologies that are required to cut deadly pollution by 90% and more.

We strongly support the most health protective and fair Clean Trucks Program - one requiring that all trucking companies doing business at the Ports meet the high environmental and fair workforce standards necessary to replace all dirty diesel trucks as quickly as possible. It's a cost-effective, market-based solution that would reduce pollution, improve port security, increase efficiency and reliability, and provide decent working conditions.

But a real Clean Trucks Program must include:

* A real "clean truck" standard, which means the cleanest available individual truck, at the time of purchase - based on the truck's toxic, criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions. (The Program should not rely on "averaging" or allow other loopholes.)

* Explicit criteria that ensures 50% of the trucks falling in the "frequent and semi-frequent" visit categories are replaced with clean alternative-fuel trucks as proposed in the Clean Air Action Plan

* Employee status for truckers to ensure trucking companies are accountable for environmental and safety maintenance.

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach affect us all, and the entire state continues to subsidize our nation's trade through increased health costs. They are the largest single source of air pollution in Southern California - from Orange County to the San Fernando Valley to the Inland Empire - responsible for more deadly diesel soot and smog each day than all of the 6 million cars in the region. But as the nation's busiest port complex, and the anchor of a profitable $300-billion-per-year business, the Ports must set a new direction for the entire goods movement industry in California and across the country.

So we join the environmental, public health, and community organizations in urging you to pass the strongest, most aggressive Clean Trucks Program - and to start replacing dirty diesel trucks now.

Thank you,

[Your Name]
[Your Address]