The Port has revised the Vessel Discharge Rules and Regulations document. Changes have been made to reflect new hull cleaning, vessel maintenance, and sewage discharge requirements, among others.
The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are expanding our water quality programs with the development of a coordinated Water Resources Action Plan (WRAP), a comprehensive effort to target remaining water and sediment pollution sources in the San Pedro Bay.
Water and sediment quality in San Pedro Bay has improved greatly over the last 40 years through increased monitoring, more aggressive regulation by state and federal agencies, better pollution source control and dredging that has removed accumulated contaminants in harbor sediment. However, the ports face ongoing challenges from contaminants that remain in port sediments, flow into the harbor from port land, and flow from upstream sources in the watershed, well beyond the ports' boundaries.
We are working closely with federal and state officials and other stakeholders to develop measures that will further minimize landside and waterside sources of pollutants in the San Pedro Bay. The WRAP will incorporate these new programs while continuing the many water quality initiatives already under way at both ports.
A tenant orientation session was held on September 1, 2009 at the POLB Board Room to inform Port facility operators of the contents of the WRAP and the control measures it contains. The session focused on how the WRAP is expected to affect Port facilities and facility operators. A copy of the presentation can be downloaded below:
Stakeholder Participation
To kick off the Water Resources Action Plan, a public meeting was held Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1 p.m. in the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners Hearing Room, 425 S. Palos Verdes Street in San Pedro.
The ports strongly encourage all stakeholders to participate in the development of the WRAP, and we are soliciting your comments, input, and ideas during the development stages. Ongoing meetings are planned for the third Wednesday of each month (locations to be announced).
You may provide your comments either verbally at one of our stakeholder meetings or via email at WRAP@polb.com or WRAP@portla.org.
