SoCal ports hire legal heavy hitters over truck reregulation plan

SoCal ports hire legal heavy hitters over truck reregulation plan The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles may feel confident about the legality of their environmental efforts, but that hasn't stopped them from hiring some heavyweight lawyers to back them up.
   And heavyweight lawyers bring heavyweight costs.
   On Friday, the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners held a closed-door special session to consider adding nearly $2.2 million to a $750,000 contract with the local law firm of Kay Scholer LLP. Scholer is a well-known Los Angeles firm that has done millions of dollars worth of work for the city. In January, the board hired the firm at a cost of $500,000 (and $250,000 for a subcontracting law firm) to evaluate and advise on potential litigation that may arise from the ports' Clean Truck Plan.
   The two ports publicly announced the controversial trucking reregulation plan in April, following six months of preparatory work. The $1.8 billion plan seeks to consolidate the 1,300 port trucking companies into a handful of licensed operators that only hire truck drivers as employees. Licensed trucks would be required to meet 2007 emission standards or pay a fee to enter port terminals. The fee, along with port and state monies, would be used to purchase new trucks or retrofit older models to meet the port-wide standards.
   Shortly after the public announcement of the plan, James Hankla, then president of the Long Beach Port Commission, boasted that the plan had been reviewed by the 'finest legal minds in the country' and would not be stopped by litigation.
   While no legal action has been taken against the ports, several trucking industry groups have said that components of the plan violate trade and commerce laws. They have said they are considering legal action if the ports implement the plan.
   The item was originally considered at the board's Aug. 2 meeting, but tabled until Friday.
   Scholer's subcontracting firm is the Washington, D.C.-based Troutman Sanders LLP. The ports have also retained the firm of Spillane Shaeffer Aronoff Bandlow LLP, formerly known as Fox Spillane Shaeffer, to advise on the trucks plan.