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Westside Railyard Expansion Draws Criticism From Residents by Ryan ZumMallen | Long Beach News | 10.22.09 | | Text Size: +
Westside residents expressed disappointment and outrage last night at proposed plans to expand the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) in their community – fearing it would worsen already poor air quality and constant noise – during a meeting of the four-person Joint Powers Authority (JPA) council at Silverado Park Community Center. The JPA heard an update on the project’s progression and then took public comments, which strongly opposed the idea for a number of reasons.  The JPA is a four-member board consisting of two representatives from the Port of Long Beach and two from the Port of Los Angeles. The Port of Long Beach representatives are President of the Harbor Commission Nick Sramek and Port Executive Director Dick Steinke. The 277-acre railyard is a major source of pollution in the westside of Long Beach, due to heavy train traffic while loading and unloading cargo that has come in from the Port of Long Beach. Traffic at the port has been down lately, leading some to question why an expansion would be necessary now. Officials say that the expansion is in preparation for boom years when the economy recovers, but residents’ fear that air quality will drastically worsen in a community already suffering from extreme asthma rates – especially in children. Another concern is that Union Pacific – the rail company that operates the ICTF under a lease with the Port of Long Beach – is holding residents hostage by refusing to “green” their operations unless the expansion is approved. The JPA acknowledged that Union Pacific officials have said they will not improve the environmentally-friendly aspects of the facility unless their planned expansion moves forward. “They cannot be allowed to bully this community any longer,” said resident John Larsen, who likened Union Pacific to a child that would not clean his room unless he received a new toy. He proposed that the JPA refuse the expansion until the current facility is cleaned, or until cargo levels increase and warrant an expansion. John Cross noted that the ICTF is already the state’s third dirtiest railyard, according to an Air Resources Board study. He commended both ports for their expanded use of on-dock rail, but disapproved of the ICTF expansion. “Don’t expand, because it affects the people,” said Mary Hernandez, near tears as she addressed the JPA. “Can you imagine people getting sick? These kids in Hudson [elementary school], they have to have air filters. Then what? All you people have to make money and forget about the westside. Don’t expand.” The project is currently going through an Environmental Impact Report process that should be completed sometime in April 2010. Updates given by planners at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles indicated that the EIR is taking greater time than expected because the issues of traffic, noise and air quality are difficult to predict. Eleven total speakers addressed the JPA, urging disapproval of the project and further study into alternative transportation methods such as electric or magnetic rail. Those ideas are in place in some ports worldwide but there is not one clear type that is more reliable than the others, leading to confusion about whether the technology is viable and so it has not been implemented or tested in nearby ports. Port planners attempted to ease residents’ fears, saying that air quality and potential health effects on the community are the highest priority to the project, and that predicted health effects will clearly be stated in the EIR and will be based on the expanded facility operating at max production levels. A workshop on the project will be held tonight at the Port of Los Angeles administration building (425 S. Palos Verdes, San Pedro) from 5:00-7:00pm. The JPA will hold their next meeting on an as-needed basis. The Long Beach Chamber of Commerce released the following statement in support of the ICTF expansion in February, with CEO Randy Gordon citing job opportunities and applauding Union Pacific promises to incorporate electric rail and other environmental practices. The letter is addressed to ICTF Executive Director Sam Joumblat. Intermodal Container Transfer Facility Modernization Plan - SUPPORT Disclosure: LBPOST.com co-founder Shaun Lumachi is a government affairs advisor to the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. Comments
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Mela If residents move close to commerce, then they should expect some inconvenience. Long Beach, due to us being a port city and deriving our large tax revenues accordingly from this business segment, should not be penalized in our current economic situation which will only create LESS jobs. As these West-side residents increase their earning power, then they can move on up to other areas of the city that offer more favorable living conditions. There is a reason that the housing is lower on this side of the city. That's how it works; Educate yourself, work hard and you too can live in the better areas of the city. Long Beach needs it's revenues and jobs created here in a favorable business climate. dan Why would you EVER live on the Westside, next to a railyard and port. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to know it is a DIRTY place to live. A little common sense people. Jeannine Wow. Its a matter of inequality. If the people were able to live with the best air quality away from the ports THEY WOULD. Its called: Environmental Racism. Thats why they are fighting it. Do you think people in Naples would allow it? lbresident Jeannine, there isn't anything racial about it. Put that card back in your pocket. I'm not saying I agree with you but if you're going to play the inequality card it is about money, not race. AnonymousLBC Wow is right! If people can't afford to live in an area with clean air, they should just get better jobs? Sheesh! I work for the City, and have for many, many years. That's why I live on the Westside. Ironically, it's probably some of the same LBPost commenters that think City employees get too much compensation/pension benefits. You people would have a fit if you thought we lived in Naples. Of course we knew the industrial conditions of the area before we moved here, but none of us thinks it's too much to ask for Union Pacific to employ "best available technology" - now - to minimize the negative health and noise impacts their operation creates. They make a profit; give some back to the community! Brian Regardless whether you base it on race or income level there is an issue of environmental justice for residents of the Westside. Jobs Supporter Did you read the article? Only 11 people spoke in opposition to the proposed railyard expansion project. That company provides many high paying jobs for the many residents that live in Long Beach. We need jobs and I'm for any company that wants to green their property. Lisa To say a group of ppl are less insignificant due to their pay scale or lack of education (even by choice) so therefore, move forward with your business plans to generate revenue, is an insult. They are PEOPLE w/ families. If this project was in a more affluent neighborhood, would the JPA still be as casual and tell the residence, "Don't worry, your concerns are our concerns. We'll have an impact study to show you what you want to see, you'll be just fine..." I think not. Not everyone on the West side is on welfare. There are a lot of middle class, tax paying families that that should be treated the same as anyother "side" of Long Beach. Melanie I live in the West Side and who are these people that claim to represent us? I heard from my neighbor that the people who spoke are the same people that speak out against the Port of Long Beach, the Airport and the Railroads. There are hundreds of people who live near the railyard, the freeways, the refineries and the Port. I'm more concerned about the crime in my neighborhood. I'm worried about my job and my family. Oh and by the way, we love the Port of Long Beach and had so much fun at the Green Port Festival. loveLB I have been reading the comments regarding my neighbors who live on the Westside. I have lived here for 20 years and we love our home. All three of my kids have graduated from college and we choose to stay in our wonderful home. We knew when we moved here that we are near 2 big refineries, the Port and the Union Pacific railyard. Guess what..are property value has gone up and we take responsiblity for our health. We here stories of asthma (from unnamed sources of course) and we are family that exercises, we don't smoke and we eat healthy. We don't have asthma and we have watched the Port turn Green and now we see the Railroad trying to go Green. Or we can keep chasing away businesses like we've been doing. Pat I have read the Union Pacific materials on their plans to improve the rail facility. They are in English & Spanish. It is very basic and I don't understand the opposition. They want to spend their private money to green the facility. It will reduce emissions by 75%. I live over here in the West Side and I don't hear people talking about that. Why wouldn't we want Union Pacific to spend their own money and do the right thing by reducing pollution? Who are these 11 speakers that spoke in opposition? Jlar Asthma and cancer should never be considered an "inconvenience". Many, if not most, of the residents on the west side of Long Beach predate the Union Pacific ICTF facility that is of issue. This rail container transfer facility opened in 1986. Prior to that Long Beach was a Navy town not a commerce town. When the Navy base closed the Long Beach harbor transitioned to a commerce harbor. But the residents predate all this and those who think the low housing prices as a result of dirty air is blessing should talk to those who have live and own in that neighborhood. They would love for their homes to be investments like other areas of Long Beach. The Alameda Corridor was built at tax payer expense inorder to provide a method of transfering containers straight out of the port to sorting facilities. Instead we truck the containers five miles to West Long Beach and then put them on diesel trains which hall the containers 20 miles to another sorting facility. It makes no sense. JLar Pat, UP will only spend there own money to green the facility if it is allowed to expand and expansion means more trucks through the streets of West Long Beach and more pollution. The asthma rate in West Long Beach is ten times as high as East Long Beach less than tem miles away. No one is opposed to the train. The opposition come to the trucks hauling the containers five miles to rail yard in the middle of 50 year old residential area. And it doesn't have to be that way. On port rail loading, ship it out to sorting facility in the high desert, rail it east or north or truck it to southern California from that facility in the high desert. Derick Wow..interesting comments...I live in LB and I hope that Tesla isn't reading these comments. It seems like a no-brainer that we wouldn't allow Union Pacific to spend their money to reduce pollution emissions at their railyard. Did you read the article submitted by the Chamber of Commerce? Now is the time to support businesses that choose to grow green! JLar The JPA offered to give UP 8 million dollars if they would green their facility, no strings attached and UP declined the offer. They refuse to green unless it's tied to expansion, expansion means more trucks. Diesel trucks, that is the problem. CHARLIE Well there they go again, and by they, I'm refering to those that don't do their homework before stateing their complaints like deer caught in the headlights of industry - such as the two John's and the act of near tears Mary that should be in Hollywood - the walk would do her good. I can imagine what the remaining 8 apposed to the JPA, the UP, the ICTF, the LBCofC and not to mention the ATA, must have said in there remarks without a clue to what they're really apposing: Sheesh, it's like the above organizations and the great work they're doing never existed. There are areas that don't have railroad yards, air & sea ports, terminals, factory's, etc etc and etc that "they" can move to, but no, they would rather have these profit makeing, tax paying, employement opportunits - cease opperations...Negatives fron the woodwork! stop the whinning First off, the idiots that think trucks are the largest contributors to unhealthy air, should do some research or shut up and keep their lack of intelligence a secret(or at least not broadcast their stupidity), and these tearful plea's of the welfare and subsistence crowd, tend to forget that the 'benefits' they receive have to be paid for by someone... The geniuses at the LB Harbor Commission, (and their less than intelligent counter-parts of PoLA) have been doing everything within their short-sighted lemming mentality...to drive the PoLB/PoLA BCO's, and customer base of the ports as far away from here as possible!!!!!!!! The PoLB/PoLA (the largest, busiest container port on the North American Continent!!!!! has succeeded in pushing their revenue streams to obscure desolate ports such as Prince Rupert Sound....400 miles North of Vancouver Canada!!!!! So when these 'brain thrusts' and 'un-employed too stupid to think-tank refugees' are sniveling and standing in the 'Oliver Twist' Soup line, saying "please sir can I have more", tell them no we can't have business HERE in LONG BEACH!!!!!! Adrian I love the comment made by "Stop the Whinning" Haven't we had enough with this small group of people who bash our Port and attack our Airport and Railroads? Do they not read the alarming statistics that our Port volume is down by 20 to 30%? Do they not read the Press Telegram or LA Times where they would learn that the Port of LA and Port of LB are losing significant cargo volume? We live in a heavy industrial area that provides thousands of high paying jobs, sales and property taxes for our City. And only in California can a small group of people not support a company that wants to spend their own money to reduce pollution AND prepare themselves for when or if the cargo ever comes back to us. Other Ports are enjoying taking our containers away. JLar The container levels coming into the port do not warrant expansion. Trade is down. The jury on the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce has been out for a long time without a decision, just ask local business owners on Pine. Union Pacific's railyards are the dirtiest in the country, DO YOUR HOMEWORK and read an AQMD report on the air quality surrounding the facilities of this fine company. Expansion of business facilities without expectation of expanded revenue equals negative income. Everytime the railyard gets in financial trouble the tax payers bail them out. Stop it. The grade schools in the neighborhood like Hudson and Webster predate the ICTF facility. The Alameda corridor obsoletes the ICTF facility. Quit pandering to the trucking and rail industry with bad business decisions. Modernize the rail facilities at the port and rail the containers straight out of Long Beach without touching a truck. Trucks can come into play farther down the rail for local deliveries. That is the most business efficient way of goods coming into the port but instead trucking, and RR labor unions are impeding good business decisions. Joan from Wrigley The meeting was not well-noticed,which is why I wasn't able to attend, but my position is on record. The West Long Beach community is culturally diverse and well-established. People bought their homes, raised families, paid mortgages before the railyards were put in with promises of good jobs and clean air. Now, their investment is threatened by broken promises and railroad greed. There have been many, many meetings on this topic with dozens of speakers voicing opposition from all of the westside. What I don't understand is why people on the eastside don't understand that its their fight, too! Hazardous air pollution doesn't suddenly stop at Cherry Avenue. Cargo emissions increase your risk of lung disease and cancer, too. Wake up and listen to the community leaders on the westside! At least, they studied the issues before taking a position.
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LBPOST.com Managing Editor Ryan ZumMallen keeps up on all the current and breaking Long Beach news.
Ryan ZumMallen is a graduate of the CSULB School of Journalism, writing for the campus' Union Weekly newspaper and serving as Sports Editor for one year. He has written for numerous news and sports websites and magazines, as well as television experience with Fox Sports and ABC Channel 7.
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