Victory for Clean Air!

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Katie Zimmerman / 843 725 1292

KatieZ@scccl.org

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Status: Victory for clean air! The issue has been updated below.

What is the issue?

After years of CCL, area physicians, and citizens urging the port and state leaders to commit to a meaningful and measurable cleanup of port pollution to reduce the impact on public health, as some other ports have done, the State Ports Authority agreed to reduce a major source of air pollution (truck emissions) and to get rail at the new terminal to reduce traffic congestion on Interstate 26.

With the release of a study by national experts, commissioned by CCL, data reveals that health costs associated with an expanded Charleston port could be as high as $81 million per year if the port does not reduce ship and truck emissions. CCL appealed the permits for a new port terminal in North Charleston, an area that already has serious air quality issues due to industrial and traffic emissions.

To settle the case the South Carolina State Ports Authority will ensure significantly cleaner air from port operations by eliminating 85% of the oldest, most polluting trucks that call frequently on ALL the port facilities. These older trucks emit 95% more fine particulate pollution than newer models and can be responsible for up to a third of the truck pollution, even though they are typically only 10-15% of all the trucks.

The port also agreed to continuous air monitoring and reporting. They will install air monitors, first at the Wando Terminal for five years, and then at the new terminal for five years, for a total of ten years. The monitoring results will be on a website so the public can see the levels of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, as well as PM2.5 (tiny particulate matter).

The port also agreed to a non-public road connection to the port to move cargo to a new rail terminal—making it no longer a truck-only terminal. In addition to reducing traffic congestion, rail uses much less diesel fuel to move containers than trucks do, resulting in air quality benefits. They agreed to an ongoing air pollution task force to maintain the dialogue on air and community concerns.

How would it affect South Carolina?

Elimination of the most polluting cargo trucks, continuous air monitoring and reporting, the added use of rail, and the development of a port pollution task force will all contribute to cleaner air and healthier South Carolinians. Health impacts and medical costs should be reduced as well. Traffic congestion on I-26 from the new port will be reduced with rail, and the competitive edge of the port will be enhanced.

What can you do about it?

Continue to check back here for more updates, and sign up for our action alerts. We will notify you when the air monitors are installed, data becomes available, and when the task force begins to meet.

We breathe cleaner air, we move goods more efficiently, and we save taxpayers' money. It costs less money to clean up the port than to pay for medical care induced by port pollution.

The port and CCL have agreed to these terms. This should be a major victory for clean air! No one loses.

Live 5 News: Port Could Cost Charleston Residents $81 Million per Year

Correction: Please note that the assertion made by the SPA in this news story is inaccurate. Instead of 200, only 40 trucks of the thousands that visit our port each day are currently adding pollution control filters. (Source: visiting http://www.epa.gov/otaq/diesel/projnational-aara.htm and SPA staff)

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