Two major U.S. ports cooperate on green growth

    LOS ANGELES, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are joining forces to achieve "green growth" by reducing noxious emissions, officials said on Tuesday.

    Yielding to public health concerns, the two ports have worked out the Clean Air Action Plan, which is projected to slash port-generated pollution by 45 percent by 2012.

    "We're no longer going to subsidize cheap goods with the health of our citizens," Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster said of the emission reduction plan.

    As part of the move, the Port of Los Angeles is expected to approve a cargo container fee to raise money to buy new trucks to haul cargo. The goal is phase out old, dirtier diesel trucks now in use.

    Officials are confident that business leaders pushing for more cargo capacity at Los Angeles, Long Beach facilities can iron out differences with environmental, health advocates.

    The two ports already serve as the gateway for 40 percent of the goods imported to the United States. But the pressures to grow even more -- and to clean the air -- are prompting the longtime rivals to work together.

    A month ago, they approved a joint mandate to replace the area's fleet of 16,800 dirty cargo trucks with new or retrofitted models by 2012. Last week, the two ports approved a cargo fee to raise 1.6 billion dollars to put the cleaner trucks into service.

    "These were gigantic achievements," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. "We're on a road that leads to cleaner ports, more jobs and a model for the world."

    "In the interests of green growth, historic adversaries have become part of a very delicate coalition," Villaraigosa said.

Source:RamblerNews