Long Beach Port Terminal Plan Gets Public Boos, Cheers

A Port of Long Beach public hearing to discuss environmental impacts of a nearly $760 million marine terminal redevelopment project drew cheers and sneers from about 100 people Wednesday evening.

Comments on the project ranged from praise for port-promised economic benefits to condemnation that the port's proposed environmental mitigation does not go far enough.

The meeting at Long Beach City Hall was the first of two planned by the port during a public comment phase required under state law following the release of the project's environmental impact report.

The port-generated EIR claims that more than 1,000 construction jobs would be created during the decade of work on the project that proposes to redevelop and consolidate several adjacent container terminals into a single 345-acre mega-terminal.

The EIR claims of new jobs, including 14,000 port-related positions created nationwide once the terminal is fully operational, garnered support at the meeting from residents and labor union members.

The port's claims that the project would result in one of the most environmentally friendly terminals in the nation, however, drew fire from some environmental groups.

A representative for the Coalition for a Safe Environment said the port plans to reduce the proposed terminal's environmental impacts on the local community fall well short of what is required. The groups also said the project benefits do not ultimately justify the project and its potential negative impacts.

The port plans to hold a second public hearing on the proposed project next week.

If the project moves forward, it will be the first large development at the port since a self-imposed moratorium on major construction was instituted by port officials nearly five years ago. The moratorium followed a successful lawsuit by environmental groups over a terminal project at the neighboring Port of Los Angeles. The 2002-2003 lawsuit settlement eventually cost the Los Angeles port more than $100 million in lost revenues and added environmental mitigation to the terminal project.

Source:Americanshipper