Letter of Thanks to Reps. Lowenthal and Barragán for Supporting Port AQ Bill
Dear Congresswoman Barragan and Congressman Lowenthal,
Clearly, the Port of LA has been ignoring and stalling the institution of genuine emission controls for far too many years! The judge just ruled on our second lawsuit against them (this time joined by the Attorney General's office, CARB and the AQMD — see links) on the China Shipping EIR. The judge ruled in our favor describing the port's behavior with some very harsh words. However, just as the Port violated our original 2003 Settlement Agreement … there is little confidence that they will perform any differently or really change their behavior on any new EIRs going forward. There is little belief that there will be any real adherence to their legal promises either. Frankly, with these reports taking literal "years" to complete … who will be the watchdogs going forward? It seems to be common policy to simply “out wait” the activists in order to continue unabated. Our weary team is growing older by the day … and just who will fill our shoes in the future? There is a strong Port "will" to find loopholes that allow them to circumvent these emission controls and continue to operate without any obstacles. If there is no one to dispute their deficient and untruthful findings there will be no significant environmental gains to ever be realized.
Please note that during the pandemic, and during the very worst port congestion we have ever witnessed, the Port of Los Angeles unplugged some of its air quality monitors. Some stations now only monitor a few pollutants compared to earlier. New monitors are not due until the City of Los Angeles procurement process is over, which is at earliest in late summer. So monitors will not be installed until at least the fall. Meanwhile, the Port has stated that when it installs new monitors at all four stations, two of the stations will not be measuring “ultrafine particles,"” which the Port measured from 2012-2019. At that time, monitors at two stations broke down ... and the Port has never replaced them! Ultrafine particles are the “most deadly” particulates to human life! The “ultra fine” particulates are said to be registering much higher now in the San Pedro community. Exactly what is going on at the Port of Los Angeles?
As noted in this other article in Splash (see link) ..... the impending rail and truck strikes are expected to, yet again, deliver us MORE ship and rail backlog headaches ... not to mention MORE “pollution!”
Meanwhile, the port's intent is to take the “struthious” approach as to measuring just how lethal those pollution levels will be. It is extremely appropriate to describe the port's policy with the old adage, “ignorance is bliss!” As the victims of these debacles we cannot stand by while this “public”agency continues to bury the truth of their harm. This must stop!
The environmental Professors at USC, Andrea Hricko and Ed Avol, wanted to also express to you their thanks for your bill. Both have been engaged in trying to reduce port emissions for many years and continue in this fight.
We also wish to remind you again of the horrific vulnerability of the 25 million gallons of highly explosive butane gas at Rancho LPG sitting on the doorsteps of our homes and schools. Another “gift” brought to us by the Port of Los Angeles. The current use of port owned “public trust land” to accommodate this {private} company (that has zero connection to tenancy at the Port) while posing such an extraordinarily high risk to population is completely unjustified. The port is facilitating the practice of “privatizing a company's profits” while “socializing” its associated grave risks on the backs of the innocent public. Again, another situation where the continued absence of any risk analysis continues to hide the potential of severe harm to the surrounding residents, our schools, and the local communities. Again, the result of an ingrained port policy that embraces the reckless notion “ignorance is bliss.” How is this being rationalized by other government officials? Where is the justice? The magnitude of disaster from this facility and/or its operations will extend for miles. It offers every potential to decimate both ports of LA and Long Beach.
Thank you for your efforts on behalf of your constituents. Please continue to fight for our health and our safety. It is obvious just how badly we need both your attention, and your actions, to protect us.
Janet Schaaf-Gunter Communications Administrator San Pedro Peninsula Homeowners United, INC.