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