Senator Alan Lowenthal’s proposal to impose a fee on most cargo containers entering West Coast ports at San Diego, Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland was passed in the State Assembly by a 45-23 vote on Tuesday. The collected fees will be put towards cleaning up air quality around California’s coast, mainly by implementing cleaner trucks and exploring alternative shipping methods, as noted by this story in the LA Times.
Depending on the size of the cargo container, the fee could be $30 or $60 dollars.
The Senate bill, favored by Democrats and opposed by most Republicans, will move on to the State Senate for concurrence before coming before Governor Schwarzenegger.
Assembly Democrats cited high pollution caused by ships that account for high levels of cancer in residents living near ports, while Republicans shared fears that escalating costs will drive business away from local harbors. The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles will be greatly affected by the decision. Together, they represent 40% of all of the nation’s incoming cargo.
Lowenthal originally introduced the bill in 2005 and while it received strong support, ultimately died on the Senate floor. More than one dozen changes were made to produce the current version, including the addition of the Port of Oakland.
By Ryan ZumMallen, Managing Editor