Oakland approves air quality improvement plan

The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners recently gave approval to the port’s Maritime Air Quality Improvement Plan (MAQIP). The MAQIP is the Port’s comprehensive Master Plan to improve air quality related to Port maritime operations through 2020. According to Port of Oakland Executive Director Omar Benjamin, “We are confident and intend to achieve our goal of reducing the health risk from diesel pollution from Port sources by 85% by the year 2020.”

MAQIP was developed from the ground up through on-going consultation and input from a multi-stakeholder task force. Port Board President Victor Uno said, “Reducing pollution is vital to the health of our neighbours and our region. Air pollution comes from many sources in the Bay Area and we want to do our part to help reduce diesel pollution from Port-related activities.”

The Board authorized the use of $2 million of Port of Oakland funds to help truckers pay for an emissions filter (DPF – diesel particulate filter) that will reduce diesel pollution, and the use of up to an additional $3 million of Port funds to reduce pollution from trucking at the Oakland seaport. The emissions filters are certified to reduce diesel emissions by 85%. The Port Commissioners approved the funding in support of retrofiting drayage trucks that serve the Port of Oakland, to help truckers meet the new state regulations that begin to take effect next year. The Port Board also approved funding to install 10 diesel particulate filters on Port owned vehicles in advance of statewide requirements with a goal of reducing diesel emissions from each vehicle by 85%. Because of the Board approvals, the Port of Oakland will be able to continue moving forward with projects that clean up the air such as installing 10 diesel particulate filters on Port-owned vehicles; and planning and investment to implement shore power (reduce pollution from ships while at dock). According to the March 2008 Health Risk Assessment by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) – the contribution of all Oakland seaport sources to West Oakland health risk from diesel pollution is approximately 16% of which 4% of the total West Oakland health risk from diesel pollution is attributed to Port drayage trucks. 84% of the West Oakland health risk from diesel pollution is due to approximately 4% from Union Pacific Railyard (UP) and about 80% from sources unrelated to Port of Oakland or UP sources. Richard Sinkoff, the Port’s Director of the Environmental Programs and Planning Division, said: “This plan (MAQIP) is a valuable tool allowing us to move forward with feasible projects that clean up the air and thereby promote a healthier community. One way we’ll reach our 85% goal is by working with our tenants to dramatically cut emissions from ship engines while they’re at dock; another is by continuing to help truckers retrofit or replace their diesel engines.”

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