The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) proposed a new restriction about capping nitrogen oxide emissions at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
There are state and federal requirements in place already regulating port emissions. The SCAQMD’s latest proposal adds to the pile of mandates that could hinder both productivity and competitiveness of these ports.
While they haven’t published proposal PR2304 yet, it will undoubtedly contain volume caps on port activities. In fact, officials have warned the ports might have to cut activity just to comply.
Collectively, the 2 ports handled almost $380 billion of trade goods, connecting businesses and consumers across the entire nation to trading partners in Asia. These ports are critical to farmers trying to ship their goods overseas. Nearly 40% of imported goods enter the U.S. through the two ports in LA and Long Beach.
Photo Credit: Port of Los Angeles Website
"What we're being asked to do in Southern California under the indirect source rule is have very local rules, which potentially impact international and interstate commerce, not just because the commerce is occurring … but because the sources of emissions that they're trying to regulate are in that commerce." — Mike Jacob, VP and general counsel at Pacific Merchant Shipping
PR 2304 might be published as early as September with plans to have it approved by December.
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