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Sample Letter: Ports Air Pollution (SB 974)

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

As your constituent, I want to thank you for your past support of Senate Bill 974, authored by Senator Alan Lowenthal, and to encourage you to sign it into law today. This important bill would help California improve air quality and reduce health-related problems in port communities by funding pollution relief and other needed improvements.

The ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland, which handle almost 50 percent of U.S. imports and exports, contribute significantly to California’s poor air quality. The hundreds of tons of pollutants emitted at the ports each day puts nearby communities at unacceptable levels of risk. According to a report by the California Air Resources Board, air pollution from the ports cause 2,400 premature deaths annually. All told, port air pollution will drain California’s economy by a staggering $200 billion over the next 15 years.

Given the anticipated growth at the ports, and the fact that almost all of the ships, trucks and equipment used at the port are fueled by cancer-causing diesel, we must take action to limit the increase in toxic emissions while the ports grow. SB 974 would place a $30 fee on each shipping container entering the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland—$15 each for pollution mitigation and rail improvements.

SB 974 is widely supported by environmental, labor, health, and environmental justice organizations. Please see that the polluters pay their fair share to protect community health and economy by signing SB 974 into law. Thank you.

Sincerely,

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