Breathing easy by 2012

A month ago, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles issued new regulations aimed at cutting down on the pollution belched out by trucks, and now it’s the state’s turn. The California Air Resources Board is considering new regulations for the state’s ports, covering trucks and more.

The Associated Press reports:

California regulators are taking aim at major shipping companies and thousands of individual truckers with two landmark measures intended to cut air pollution at large state ports and rail yards.

The proposed regulations would force operators of cargo ships and other large vessels to use land-based electric power while docked, and require trucks operating at major ports and rail yards to reduce emissions.

If approved, California would be the first state to impose such requirements on the shipping and transportation industries.

The board is holding public hearings on the measures today and tomorrow, and a vote is scheduled for tomorrow. So breathe easy citizens. (Actually, you might want to hold off on breathing until these measures take effect. The new Port LB and LA truck regulations, for example, will finally take full effect on January 1, 2012– so go ahead and make plans to take a deep breath to ring in the new year in 2012.)

Tags: 2012, California Air Resources Board, pollution, Port of Long Beach, PORT OF LOS ANGELES, regulation