The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded over $1.2 million to the Port of Long Beach to replace eight existing yard diesel tractors with all-electric automated guided vehicles, it was announced Thursday.
The Diesel Emission Reduction Act funding is administered by EPA’s West Coast Collaborative, a clean air partnership comprised of the Pacific Southwest and Pacific Northwest Regions, which leverages public and private funds to reduce emissions from the most polluting diesel sources in impacted communities.
“By promoting clean diesel technologies, we can improve air quality, support green jobs, and fight global climate change,” said Jared Blumenfeld, regional administrator for EPA’s Pacific Southwest office. “Public-private partnerships like the West Coast Collaborative are leading the way on reducing harmful diesel emissions.”
Reducing particulate matter emissions reduces black carbon, which influences climate by directly absorbing light, reducing the reflectivity of snow and ice through deposition, and interacting with clouds.
People living in the census tracts surrounding the Port of Long Beach face an increased risk of cancer, asthma, birth defects, and decreased lung function, according to the EPA.
— City News Service