THE long Beach Board of Harbour Commissioners has voted unanimously to approve the implementation of a fee for older, pollution-producing trucks at the Port of Long Beach, including a controversial exemption for natural gas vehicles.
Following years of planning, study and community input, the Clean Truck Fund Rate programme charges a fee for every shipping container moved into and out of the port complex aboard diesel trucks.
The fee - US$10 for each TEU - will be charged to cargo owners and used to fund truck initiatives to reduce emissions with the ultimate goal of reaching zero emissions by 2035 at the port, reports Long Beach Business Journal.
Zero-emission trucks will be exempt from the fee. Collection will begin April 1, 2022.
The item also included a temporary exemption for natural gas-powered trucks purchased and registered with the port on or before December 31, 2022, with an expiration date of December 31, 2031.
But the item was approved with amendments from board vice president Sharon Weissman, which exempt natural gas trucks through December 31, 2034 if purchased before December 8, 2021, if owned by the original purchaser and through December 31, 2031 for trucks purchased by July 31, 2022 that are registered with the port within 30 days of receipt from the manufacturer.
'We are stewards of the port for all of California and we must use our resources wisely and do whatever we can to reduce emissions today,' Ms Weissman said, noting that natural gas trucks significantly reduce greenhouse gas and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. 'I cannot support the delay of reducing harmful emissions any longer.'
Port of Long Beach executive director Mario Cordero said the port would first prioritise incentives and programmes to increase the number of natural gas trucks that operate within the port, with 10 per cent set aside for zero-emission trucks. At the Port of Long Beach, upward of 6,000 outdated diesel trucks must be replaced within the next two years.
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Following years of planning, study and community input, the Clean Truck Fund Rate programme charges a fee for every shipping container moved into and out of the port complex aboard diesel trucks.
The fee - US$10 for each TEU - will be charged to cargo owners and used to fund truck initiatives to reduce emissions with the ultimate goal of reaching zero emissions by 2035 at the port, reports Long Beach Business Journal.
Zero-emission trucks will be exempt from the fee. Collection will begin April 1, 2022.
The item also included a temporary exemption for natural gas-powered trucks purchased and registered with the port on or before December 31, 2022, with an expiration date of December 31, 2031.
But the item was approved with amendments from board vice president Sharon Weissman, which exempt natural gas trucks through December 31, 2034 if purchased before December 8, 2021, if owned by the original purchaser and through December 31, 2031 for trucks purchased by July 31, 2022 that are registered with the port within 30 days of receipt from the manufacturer.
'We are stewards of the port for all of California and we must use our resources wisely and do whatever we can to reduce emissions today,' Ms Weissman said, noting that natural gas trucks significantly reduce greenhouse gas and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. 'I cannot support the delay of reducing harmful emissions any longer.'
Port of Long Beach executive director Mario Cordero said the port would first prioritise incentives and programmes to increase the number of natural gas trucks that operate within the port, with 10 per cent set aside for zero-emission trucks. At the Port of Long Beach, upward of 6,000 outdated diesel trucks must be replaced within the next two years.
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