Rep. Lowenthal to Lead Town Hall to End Ocean Shipping Pollution

Toxic air pollution from ships is harming our families and communities. Community members can ask policymakers questions about existing clean shipping initiatives, as well as what more leaders can do to end life-shortening ship pollution in Long Beach.

Speakers so far include U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) and Edie Chang, Deputy Executive Officer of Planning, Freight and Toxics Division at the California Air Resources Board, and the event will be moderated by Dr. Joe Lyou, President and CEO of Coalition for Clean Air.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Food will be provided. Masks are strongly encouraged.

THE PROBLEM

Asthma Alley. Diesel Death Zone. These are names given to our port cities, where air quality is among the worst in the nation. Ships run on the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet, heavy fuel oil, which contains asthma and cancer-causing air pollutants.

In 2021, ship congestion added the equivalent of 100,000 big rig trucks per day to Southern California's air in diesel particulate matter emissions.

This is exacerbating an ongoing public health crisis for Southern California's port-adjacent communities like West Long Beach, Wilmington, and San Pedro, which face up to 8 years shorter life expectancy than the Los Angeles County average.

On the climate front, if ocean shipping were a country, it would be the sixth largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions globally.

THE SOLUTION

Just like cars and trucks, the technology exists to achieve zero-emission shipping!

This spring, Long Beach City Council unanimously passed a "Ship It Zero" resolution, joining the city of Los Angeles in encouraging all calls to the San Pedro Bay Ports to be made on zero-emission ships by 2030.

In July, Rep. Alan Lowenthal, cosponsored by Rep. Nanette Barragan, introduced the Clean Shipping Act of 2022, aimed at zeroing out pollution from all ocean shipping companies that do business with the U.S. His legislation will protect the health of port communities, address environmental injustice, and provide solutions to the climate crisis.

And we know that the California Air Resources Board has more tools at its disposal to force ships to transition off fossil fuels.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Speak up at Town Hall! Urge leaders to fast-track clean ocean shipping policies and initiatives, and ask what more they can do to end life-shortening ship pollution in Long Beach.

Others Details

Category: Community | Local / Community

Time: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm