The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners unanimously approved an update Monday to a landmark agreement with air quality regulators, authorizing three new actions aimed at reducing emissions from goods movement at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.
The vote came three days after the South Coast Air Quality Management District Governing Board approved an addendum to the 2025 cooperation agreement. The update adds incentives for cleaner ships and zero-emission trucks, along with a $40 million investment in regional charging and fueling infrastructure.
“These measures are an evolution of the collaborative framework established last year and enable us to make progress toward zero emissions through concrete, measurable and transparent actions,” Long Beach Harbor Commission President Steven Neal said in a statement. “We appreciate the partnership with SCAQMD staff to get to this point, which involved more than six months of public input, meetings and discussions.”
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson noted the health of the city’s economy is tied to the health of the environment.
“These strategies are exciting because not only do they accelerate the journey toward cleaner, electrified operations at the Port of Long Beach, they benefit the entire region by growing charging infrastructure used by heavy-duty trucks across Southern California,” Richardson said in his statement.
With Long Beach’s approval, the revised agreement still requires approval from the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners before it can take effect. The Los Angeles board is scheduled to vote on the matter Thursday.
The addendum includes enforceable deadlines and financial consequences if milestones are not met. It also includes requirements for public review of new programs, public meetings and annual reports tracking progress.
The original agreement established a framework for advancing zero-emission infrastructure at the ports, including the deployment of zero-emission technologies for cargo-handling equipment, harbor craft, trucks, trains and ships.
The updated agreement includes the following actions:
— An Enhanced Clean Ship Incentive Program, providing increased incentives for companies to make port calls using cleaner ships and other vessels;
— A Zero-Emission Truck Utilization Incentive Program, providing incentives for zero-emission trucks operating at the ports; and
— $40 million for regional charging and fueling infrastructure, with each port providing $20 million to fund projects. South Coast AQMD will manage project selection, funding and implementation of the program.