MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA’S CLEAN TRUCK PROGRAM SHIFTS INTO OVERDRIVE AT THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES
Port of Los Angeles is set to collect fees as part of the Clean Truck Program to help truck owners convert to cleaner, greener trucks
When fully implemented in 2012, the Clean Truck Program takes over 16,000 dirty-diesel trucks off the road, slashing harmful truck emissions by 80 percent
SAN PEDRO, Calif., — February 18, 2009 — As part of Mayor Villaraigosa’s plan to take 16,000 dirty-diesel trucks off the road and slash port-related truck pollution by 80 percent, the Port of Los Angeles today began collecting Clean Truck Fees. The fees, paid by cargo owners who use pre-2007 diesel trucks, will raise funds to help finance the replacement of thousands of old, dirty trucks currently servicing the Port.
“We are on our way to removing thousands of dirty, diesel trucks from our neighborhoods and reducing port truck diesel emissions by 80 percent in just four years,” Mayor Villaraigosa said.
“Now that fee collection is implemented, we will set our sights on creating a 2009 Clean Truck Incentive Program to help bring more 2007-compliant or newer trucks into our program by the next dirty truck ban, which will come into effect January 1, 2010,” said Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D. “These incentives have proven to be a quicker way to get clean trucks out on the road.”
Starting today, dirty diesel trucks will pay a $35 per TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, or 20-foot container) fee. Despite recent delays in fee collection, the Port has been moving full speed ahead in helping trucking companies purchase clean trucks. More than 100 companies have applied to receive $20,000 for each qualifying truck they put into service at the Port by January 15, 2009. As a result of initial funding, the Port now has approximately 3,000 clean trucks in service -- well exceeding the Clean Truck Program’s first-year emissions reduction goals.
Moving towards the goal of replacing all 16,000 dirty trucks with clean ones, the Port will continue to offer innovative incentive programs to encourage trucking companies to switch to the greenest trucks on the market.
Beginning October 1, 2008, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach took the unprecedented step of banning the most polluting trucks -- 1988 and older rigs. It was the first ban in a series of bans planned under Clean Truck Program initiatives pursued by both San Pedro Bay ports. On January 1, 2010, the ports will ban 1993 and older trucks, and un-retrofitted model year 1994 to 2003 trucks. By January 2012 all 2006-model year and older trucks will be banned from entering port container terminals.
Last year, the West Coast Marine Terminal Operator Agreement (WCMTOA) created a not-for-profit company, PortCheck, to collect the Clean Truck Fees for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The money collected will be transferred to the ports to provide financial assistance for the replacement of thousands of trucks during the next several years. Under the program, the cargo owner is responsible for paying the Clean Truck Fee. The fee will be payable by credit card or electronic funds transfer, and must be paid before a container can enter or leave a terminal.
In November, the ports filed with the FMC their PortCheck agreement with marine terminal operators, who would develop and operate an online and electronic gate access system to collect the ports' $35 per twenty-foot-container-unit Clean Truck Fee.
Cargo owners can visit the PortCheck page for updates. Cargo owners that are already registered in PierPASS off-peak terminal access system are automatically added into PortCheck. Cargo owners that are automatically uploaded from PierPASS into PortCheck will first have to accept the terms and conditions of PortCheck before their account will be extended into PortCheck.
About the Port of Los Angeles
The Port of Los Angeles, also known as “America’s Port,” has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy and the quality of life for the region and the nation it serves. A recipient of numerous environmental awards, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2007 Clean Air Excellence Award, the Port of Los Angeles is committed to innovating cleaner, greener ways of doing business. As the leading seaport in North America in terms of shipping container volume and cargo value, the Port generates 919,000 regional jobs and $39.1 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. A proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles, the Port is self-supporting and does not receive taxpayer dollars. The Port of Los Angeles - A cleaner port. A brighter future.