L.A. Harbor Board OK's Funds for Major Air Quality Monitoring Program

The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners last week voted unanimously to continue to implement key elements of the Port's Air Studies Program. The Board's approval provides approximately $766,000 in Port funding for a yearlong air quality-monitoring program that will collect and analyze emissions from ships and dockside operations at the Port of Los Angeles. Slated to begin this November, the program will be one of the most intensive area-wide ambient air studies nationwide and is unprecedented in terms of air quality studies conducted at any port in North America.

The Air Studies Program at the Port is part of a broader Environmental Studies program initiated by Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn as part of his "No Net Increase" in air pollution goal for the Port of Los Angeles.

"This is one of the most definitive air quality measurement projects ever undertaken by a port in order to measure the environmental impact of harmful emissions originating from the ships, trucks, trains and yard equipment," said Mayor Hahn, who recently, with Councilwoman Janice Hahn, announced the establishment of an Air Quality Task Force to develop a revised No Net Increase plan for the Port of Los Angeles. "It's only with thorough research projects like this that we can understand the actual distribution of air particulates in the communities adjacent to the port and take effective measures to curb harmful emissions originating from Port operations."

Community and Councilwoman Support

"The final plan for this Air Monitoring Study was developed through a collaborative six-month team effort involving Harbor Department staff, harbor area community members, and highly respected air quality consultants who advise the Air Quality Subcommittee of the Port Community Advisory Committee (PCAC)," said Richard Havenick, San Pedro resident and chairman of the PCAC Air Quality Sub Committee. "It's a team effort made possible through the benefit of the Port Community Advisory Committee."

"Our communities are not against growth at the port, but we cannot sacrifice clean air for this growth. Wilmington and San Pedro residents have always known that our air quality is greatly impacted by port emissions, and this project will give us a clear picture of just how big that impact is," said Councilwoman Janice Hahn. "As we move forward with creating a 'No Net Increase In Emissions Plan' for our port, monitoring the air will be key to measuring the progress we are making and essential to holding the port accountable. This program gets us one step closer to having both a port that is the thriving economic engine for the region, while also having healthy Harbor area communities."

"It's a very good day and, also, a historic day," said Wilmington resident Ken Melendez, who spoke in support of the program at the Harbor Commission meeting last Wednesday. "The consultants that were hired were excellent because ... they told it like it was. Wilmington made a request (for additional monitoring considerations) that was listened to, and responded to by the Port, so we're very thankful and look forward to this."

About the Program

The air quality monitoring stations will measure ambient air levels in the port and local communities with a specific measurement focus on particulate matter (PM(10), PM(2.5)) and elemental carbon, a component of pollution often used as an indicator of diesel particulate matter (DPM). The stations will be located in areas that have been pre-tested and confirmed to be the most appropriate sites for measuring emissions from ship traffic and on-shore operations. The stations will be located inside the breakwater at the south end of the port, on Terminal Island in the center of port operations, west of the main channel in San Pedro, and several blocks east of the Wilmington waterfront.

Operating alongside meteorological units that will record continuous wind and weather conditions, the monitoring stations will collect samples over specific 24-hour periods at three-day intervals over a 12-month period. The measurements also will take into consideration daily on-shore and off-shore wind conditions in order to better understand levels and sources of particulate matter and diesel particulate matter.

The data collection work plan has been reviewed and approved by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), and the plan was designed to facilitate comparison of monitoring results from the Air Quality Management District's Multiple Air Toxic Exposure Study (MATES III), in progress through April 2005. The previous MATES II study was conducted in 1999 but did not include measurement of particulate matter in the San Pedro and Wilmington areas.