For far too long — nearly 20 years — South Coast Air Basin communities, including Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and San Bernardino counties, have been waiting for a strong Ports Indirect Source Rule (ISR) that sets clear targets — and deadlines — for reducing polluting emissions from ports that impact their lives, health and well-being. It is imperative for the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to adopt this rule so that it may fulfill its legal and moral obligation to ensure safe, clean air for all South Coast Air Basin communities.

Instead, we’ve seen obstructionist tactics succeed by moving the Air District away from setting much-needed emission reduction targets and including active, transparent data monitoring as components of the rule. 

What T.H.E. IMPACT Project and Pacific Environment are advocating for

Data transparency and emission reduction targets are two of the three key components that Pacific Environment, in tandem with T.H.E. Impact Project coalition, have been advocating for as part of the rule for years. PE is part of T.H.E. Impact Project, a coalition of frontline environmental justice groups, community-based organizations, health based groups, academic partnerships and environmental law NGOs working to elevate the public health impacts of the freight and logistics industry on communities in Southern California.

“Frontline communities in Los Angeles, Long Beach and all the way out in the Inland Empire suffer from some of the worst pollution in the nation, yet Southern California air regulators continue to gamble with our health and lives by delaying emission reductions in the district’s air quality rule for ports,” said Cristhian Tapia-Delgado, Climate Campaigner for Southern California, Pacific Environment. “We demand a strong Ports Indirect Source Rule that harmonizes environment and economic justice while protecting portside communities from the toxic impacts of heavy fuel oil.”

T.H.E. Impact Project and allies held a rally and “die-in” on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall to garner Mayor Bass’s support for a rail yard and Ports ISR.

Push back from the ports and lobbyists

As the largest single-fixed source of smog in the entire state of California, the San Pedro Bay Ports are significant contributors to unhealthy levels of air pollution. For over two decades, they’ve played a huge role in our region continuously failing to meet federal Clean Air Act standards. While the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have set their own nonbinding goals to reduce emissions from their operations in their Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP), they — in tandem with the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) — have continued to push back against the Ports ISR. 

“The shipping industries’ lobbyist, the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, with support from the Ports and some Los Angeles City Council members are continuing to push unsupported narratives of cargo diversion and job loss in an effort to get our air quality regulators to abandon a rule-making process all together, so that they will be forced to explore a voluntary agreement. Southern California air regulators must put the health of our communities ahead of profits and finally clear the air with a rule that has teeth,” said Paola Vargas, Community Organizer, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice.

A Día de los Muertos-themed demonstration at SCAQMD headquarters called on the governing board to honor ancestors by adopting a rule to address the public health crisis impacting frontline communities.

This pushback from the Ports and PMSA has sent a clear signal to frontline communities and environmental justice advocates that the city-owned port facilities and private industry will not be openly embracing regulation, even if it improves quality of life and saves lives. The Ports and fossil-fuel backed industry’s joint efforts of delaying action by prioritizing business-as-usual approach has resulted in year after year of delays to the Air District’s vital rule-making progress, and meanwhile, a Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services report shows port-adjacent communities in Long Beach, San Pedro, Wilmington and other LA Harbor communities continue to suffer an 8-years shorter life expectancy than the county average.

“This is a tactic we’ve seen the oil and gas-backed industry use time and time again to delay the transition away from fossil fuels to maintain the status quo. A strong Ports ISR will accelerate port electrification and achieve emission reductions for communities that desperately need clean air,” said Alison Hahm, Staff Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council. 

The power of grassroots activism

Even the Ports’ CAAP, that they often tout as a success, was developed due to the persistent efforts of grassroots activism by frontline communities. Bonnie Lowenthal, President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, recently stated at the Long Beach State of the Port that “[Port of Long Beach’s] green port policy was the result of a grassroots movement at its very best,” reaffirming that the change in a long standing profit-over people attitude is thanks to the activists who fought for improving the quality of life and addressing the needs of their homes.

The South Coast AQMD must take a stronger stance and enforce regulations to protect the health of our communities. The San Pedro Bay Ports set emission reduction goals over a decade ago, yet they have failed to establish a clear plan to meet these targets. The reason for this is simple: there has been no regulation or accompanying ambition to drive the necessary changes. 

Take action on the ISR, plus next steps

And yet, they continue to advocate for more voluntary agreements as the solution — but frontline communities have had enough of paying for the time with their lives. With a strong Port ISR, we can ensure that the necessary actions are taken to address the environmental harm caused by the ports and protect the health and future of our communities. A strong Ports ISR can ensure communities have access to clean, green jobs by protecting workers from the threat of automation and spurring investments in zero-emission technologies. As the goods movement industry continues to pour thousands of dollars into delaying and weakening the rule-making process, it’s important that the community continues banding together in our collective struggle to end the environmental injustices plaguing our homes.

Sign our petition to urge SCAQMD to adopt a strong Ports ISR that delivers real emissions reductions and holds polluters accountable.