| The sprawling Port of Los Angeles is | | | | polluting bunker fuel idle at the docks |
| located on San Pedro Bay in Los Angeles, | | | | because most have no ability to utilize |
| CA, about 20 miles south of the city's | | | | shore-generated electricity. Diesel |
| downtown. Also called the Los Angeles | | | | trailer trucks and locomotives idle |
| Harbor, it spreads over 7,500 acres of | | | | while they sit and wait to be loaded and |
| both land and waterfront property. It is | | | | unloaded. An environmental regulatory |
| nearby the Port of Long Beach, and is | | | | agency did a study that found that air |
| the busiest port in the U.S., with more | | | | pollution from the port is responsible |
| than 16,000 employees. | | | | for 2,000 cases of cancer per million |
| The port complex is an independent, | | | | people. The more than 45 tons of |
| self-sufficient department of the city | | | | nitrogen oxides generated on a daily |
| of Los Angeles. Oversight is provided by | | | | basis by port vessels nearly matches the |
| a five-member board of Harbor | | | | amount from the 350 largest factories |
| Commissioners that are appointed by the | | | | and refineries in the area. That amount |
| Los Angeles mayor and approved by the | | | | is expected to rise 70 percent by 2022. |
| City Council, and is administered by an | | | | Coping with these environmental issues |
| executive director. | | | | is a daily test for the port. Attempts |
| It is also the largest cruise ship hub | | | | have been made to ameliorate the |
| on the West Coast and has three berths | | | | pollution problem with a variety of |
| for ships, which carry more than 1 | | | | strategies that include cleaner-burning |
| million passengers on an annual basis. | | | | vehicles and more efficient |
| The cruise center is posited to be the | | | | cargo-handling. |
| country's most secure cruise location. | | | | In addition, a 2.8 million dollar Clean |
| It has a security patrolled long-term | | | | Air Program initiative was initiated by |
| parking lot that has over 2,500 spaces. | | | | the board of Harbor Commissioners in |
| When cruise ships are in dock, shuttles | | | | 2002, aimed at reducing polluting |
| move passengers and luggage between the | | | | emissions from vessels and |
| parking lot and the cruise ship. | | | | cargo-handling gear. To hasten the |
| Regrettably, with the huge volume of | | | | implementation of emission reductions |
| business that the port does, air | | | | through the use of new, cleaner-burning |
| pollution remains a big issue. Large | | | | equipment, 52 million dollars has been |
| container ships running on highly | | | | allocated through 2008. |