Earlier on Monday, however, more than 150 of the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex's 16,000 mostly low-income, Spanish-speaking independent contract truckers gathered at the entrances of five terminals to express this concern: Even though the program would help underwrite the purchase of the new vehicles, they cannot afford to maintain trucks with computer-controlled engines requiring overhauls every three to five years.
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Port OKs 'green' cargo fee
Long Beach harbor officials approve a per-container charge to raise money to fund cleaner trucks.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 59 words Type of Material: Correction
Long Beach port: An article in Tuesday's California section, about the Long Beach Harbor Commission approving a tax on cargo to help subsidize cleaner diesel trucks, misspelled Long Beach Harbor official Mario Cordero's last name as Cardero. It also said he is executive director of the Port of Long Beach. He is president of the Long Beach Harbor Commission.
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Many truckers earn about $8 an hour and rely on friends and "curbside" mechanics for discount repair work. Blowing whistles and holding up signs, the protesting truckers said they want trucking companies to buy the new trucks and hire them to drive the rigs.
"We all support cleaner air, but none of us wants a loan or a grant to buy a new truck," said truck driver Miguel Pineda, 37, of Lynwood. "If these plans become law, I won't be able to put food on the family table."
Environmentalists have been pushing for container fees for three years. Facing a likely veto by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, state Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) agreed in September to set aside a proposal to impose a $60 charge on each loaded 40-foot container to help ease port congestion and air pollution. A year earlier, Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill by Lowenthal.
Siding with shipping and retail industries, Schwarzenegger said he was opposed to a container fee because it could have hurt U.S. exports by raising shipping costs and did not provide for public-private partnerships that could increase funding for port and transportation projects.
Port authorities believe they have the authority to exercise their rights as landlords and impose the tax.
The Long Beach commission's action followed the November approval by the Long Beach and Los Angeles ports of a phased ban on old, dirty diesel trucks. That plan calls for replacing the entire fleet with models that meet 2007 pollution standards by 2012.
The truck ban and container fees are critical portions of the landmark Clean Air Action Plan endorsed by both ports a year ago as part of a strategy to reduce truck diesel emissions by 80%. In January, the ports are expected to vote on perhaps the most crucial and controversial piece: setting standards for port control over trucking companies, and who should own and maintain the new trucks.
