The Southern California International Gateway (SCIG), a proposed truck+railyard four miles from the port, is encountering opposition from residents, elected officials, and environmental groups.
Comment period for the revised draft environmental impact report ends November 13 (says the Port of Los Angeles SCIG report webpage – other sources say the deadline is November 9).
The revised draft says building more on-dock loading and reconfiguring terminals with new technology is infeasible (Chapter 2, Page 2). Advocates for zero-emission technology and electrified rail contend the port is working within a real estate- and truck-based paradigm instead of thinking outside the container. The GRID Logistics action alert webpage calls for a different approach: a zero-emission system that loads containers from the dock to electrified rail cars.
Gabrielle Weeks, Chair of the Sierra Club Long Beach Area Group and Harbor Vision Task Force noted in comments that the project would relocate trucks from the 710 to the SCIG, and local schools, parks, senior centers, health clinics, homeless/veteran centers and the community would have a dramatically increased impact as 5000 trucks would be literally at their doorstep.
Weeks also notes there is no timetable and no obvious enforcement mechanism to make sure zero emissions is incorporated as soon as possible. “Only a future with NO emissions can provide the residents on West Long Beach, Wrigley, Downtown Long Beach and most the western part of the city relief from the pollution that is negatively affecting their health every day,” she noted.