Port of Long Beach sets aside $46m for pollution mitigation

The Port of Long Beach Harbor Commission on Monday authorized a voluntary framework program that will disburse $46.4 million in local neighborhoods over the next dozen years or more to reduce the impact of port-related pollution.    The Port of Long Beach Harbor Commission on Monday authorized a voluntary framework program that will disburse $46.4 million in local neighborhoods over the next dozen years or more to reduce the impact of port-related pollution.
   The money is on top of $17.4 million already awarded to community groups since 2009 for environmental mitigation. The previous funding from the Community Mitigation Grants Program helped pay for projects that included air-filtration systems at schools, renewable energy projects, energy efficiency upgrades and asthma outreach health programs.
   Before the port could consider establishing a new mitigation-related program, state law required the completion of a study identifying the port’s cumulative impacts to air, traffic, noise and water. The study valued the impacts at $46.4 million.
   In early fall, the port will host a public workshop to help develop grant guidelines for allocating funds to the variety of community health, facility improvement and community infrastructure projects identified in the study. The date will be announced once it’s confirmed. Later this year, the Harbor Commission will decide on program rules.
   Funding is expected to be awarded beginning in 2017.
   Environmental mitigation efforts are part of the political effort to blunt potential opposition to future infrastructure expansion.