LOS ANGELES & LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2007--The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are allocating an additional $6.3 million in funding to the Gateway Cities Council of Governments for the maintenance of its Fleet Modernization Program, one of the nation's most successful efforts to replace older, dirtier diesel trucks with newer, less polluting vehicles.

The bridge funding will be used by Gateway Cities to continue the replacement of older harbor trucks in the short term as the ports complete the development of a truck fleet modernization initiative as outlined in the San Pedro Bay Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) approved by both ports' harbor commissions last November.

Viewed by many as one of the most significant measures in the CAAP, the truck modernization program is being designed to replace and/or retrofit more than 16,000 harbor trucks that, altogether, make 80 percent of the calls on the marine terminals in the San Pedro Bay Ports. These trucks will either be replaced with newer, cleaner diesel
or alternative fuel rigs, or they will be equipped with devices that
will reduce emissions of diesel particulates.

A draft of the CAAP's truck replacement and retrofit program is scheduled to be delivered to the Executive Officers of both ports in the coming weeks. The new truck replacement strategy supporting the CAAP will be the most ambitious and far-reaching heavy-duty vehicle retirement program ever attempted. The Ports are working closely with Gateway Cities to learn from the Fleet Modernization Team's experience how best to structure and administer the CAAP truck replacement program and how to effectively communicate with stakeholders, including the independent trucker owner/operators, about the program.

The Port of Los Angeles is allocating $3.3 million and the Port of Long Beach is contributing $3 million in this latest round of funding for the Gateway Cities Fleet Modernization Program. To date, the Port of Los Angeles has provided about 75 percent of the $17 million that has been spent for clean truck grants under the Gateway Cities Fleet Modernization program. Owner-operators qualifying for the funding must demonstrate that they make hundreds of calls at San Pedro Bay Ports' cargo terminals each year. The new replacement trucks must continue to be used in port service, also known as container drayage, so that the emission reduction benefits of the cleaner rigs can be realized in
nearby communities.

Since its inception in September 2002, the Gateway Cities Fleet Modernization program has scrapped 530 old trucks and replaced these with much newer, safer, and cleaner rigs. Each replacement truck significantly reduces emissions of smog-forming chemicals and toxic air contaminants. Over its assumed five-year life, on average each replacement truck prevents approximately 1.0 tons of NOx and 0.6 tons of diesel particulate emissions.

About The Clean Air Action Plan

Outlining the most comprehensive clean air strategy ever produced for a U.S. port complex, San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan was adopted by the boards of harbor commissioners of Los Angeles and Long Beach on November 6, 2006 in a historic joint board meeting. The Plan proposes hundreds of millions of dollars in investments by the ports, the state, air quality regulatory agencies and the port-related industry to dramatically reduce pollution-related health risks in the South Coast Air Basin.

Even as trade grows at the two ports, the Plan aims to cut diesel- related particulate matter (PM) pollution by more than 47 percent and smog forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by more than 45 percent within the next five years, resulting in emissions that will be below 2001 levels. Measures under the Plan also will result in reductions of sulfur oxides (SOx) by more than 52 percent.

The San Pedro Bay Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach move more than $260 billion a year in trade and more than 40 percent of the nation's containerized cargo. If taken together, the adjacent ports would be the fifth-largest container port in the world. The two ports support more than 500,000 jobs in Southern California. The ships, trucks, trains and other diesel-powered equipment and craft at the ports are major sources of air pollution in a region that already has some of the worst air quality in the nation.

The comprehensive San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan Technical Report, a more concise Overview, and the Comment Compendium are available for review at the web sites of the two ports, www.polb.com and www.portoflosangeles.org

Copyright Business Wire 2007

Port of Los Angeles

Port of Los Angeles

Celebrating its Centennial in 2007, the Port of Los Angeles is America's premier port. As the leading seaport in the nation in terms of shipping container volume and cargo value, the Port generates 259,000 regional jobs and $8.4 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. A proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles, the Port is self-supporting and does not receive taxpayer dollars. At the Port of Los Angeles, high priority is placed on responsible growth initiatives, combined with high security, environmental stewardship and community outreach. For its industry leading environmental initiatives, the Port received two Environmental Protection Agency awards in 2006. The Port of Los Angeles - A Cleaner Port. A Brighter Future.

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