In response to Tom Bates’ letter and question, “Do you really think that the state would let a project go forward that isn’t environmentally sound? We have the strictest environmental requirements in the world.”
Not so. While California has made great strides and is a world leader in cleaning up land-based polluters, when it comes to ocean and harbor polluters we dropped the ball ten years ago, and have only recently started to even look for it. We are now paying the price in increased pollution in the Los Angeles basin, despite our land-based efforts.
The good news is that plenty can be done, and we now need to swallow our embarrassment and follow the lead of European nations and declare our ports “Green Harbors” where, if you want to do business off shore, (Port Cabrillo LNG Project) or on, you have to come clean.
Our harbors need to present a united front where there will be nowhere else to go to get around these controls. And let’s not stop at the auxiliary engines used only while in port. Studies show that besides being harmful to breathe, particulate pollution has darkened our polar ice caps and our glaciers, which has made them less reflective, contributing to their melting. And don’t forget that most of our oxygen is produced by our oceans’ algae, and not plants on land. Emission control technology is available, not costly, and can reduce emissions by 90%. It is a hundred times more effective and less expensive to clean pollution at its source than down the line, and just how do you return peoples’ health or clean a polar ice cap?
Let’s not forget about cruise ships, that also enjoy an absence of emission controls. We are building ever larger ones that our Port-of-Call harbors and cities are afraid to because of the wealth their passengers and tourist dollars bring. The question is do we want to be leaders, or do we want to have them imposed upon us by international agencies? I say let’s be leaders, and along with Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors, look into making Malibu and Cabrillo “Green Harbors,” where if you expect to do business, you show respect for our environment and come clean.