SB 974: Ports, pollution, & cleaner communities (2008)

Fifty percent of all ship-borne imports into the U.S. pas through the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland. The ship, rail and truck traffic in and out of the ports, as well as extensive in-port equipment, generates massive amounts of air pollution that heavily impacts surrounding communities. SB 974 (Lowenthal) would have established a fee of $30 per container (20-foot equivalent) that passes through the three ports, with fee revenues used equally to improve infrastructure and reduce traffic congestion in port corridors and to reduce air pollution from the ports.