Good news. The Tidelands and Harbor Committee of the Long Beach City Council recommended yesterday that the entire council hold a study session to examine the Clean Trucks Program rushed through by Long Beach Harbor Commissioners in February. The recommendation came following a series of comments by community stakeholders who challenged the scheme, asking Committee Chair Suja Lownethal, and members Bonnie Lowenthal and Gary DeLong to take a close hard look.

The American Lung Association’s Tamara Watkins and Elina Green of the Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma first urged the study session. Gisele Fong of Communities for Clean Ports, a Long Beach mother of two, remarked on the responsibility of elected leaders: “I would hope to see the entire City Council review this program and find ways to improve it.”

Other Long Beach residents and mothers, like Kristen Guzman and Rosa Batres, passionately raised concerns over their Port’s green-washing, and urged their elected leaders to help deliver a real cure for port truck pollution, pointing to the LA model.

Adrian Martinez of the Natural Resources Defense Council also asked for a full examination, noting that as written the program will force the city and its port to “get into the used-truck business.” Five Long Beach port truck drivers – all of them fathers – echoed the same warning they had delivered to the Harbor Commission for months: Underpaid independent drivers who have long ago paid off their old, ailing rigs and are being crushed by $5.20-a-gallon diesel simply cannot assume a $700 monthly truck payment, let alone a final balloon payment of up to $15,000. (This blogger sure couldn’t either. The phrase “subprime-loan crisis” comes to mind.)

Councilmember Tonia Reyes-Uranga agreed, pointing out in public comment that her council colleagues wield the necessary influence to ensure elected leaders – rather than appointed officials – review the Clean Trucks Program carefully and make sure it is designed to best serve the people of Long Beach.

Of course, Long Beach Port staff that addressed the committee strictly adhered to their talking points that “the only difference” between the two ports’ plans is the employee provision, the critical key to an environmentally sustainable program. No mention that Los Angeles will provide a $5,000 financial incentive for drivers to scrap their old trucks and truly address community parking concerns, whereas Long Beach will not. One staffer even boasted that not only did Long Beach not require trucking companies to employ their workers and assume full responsibility for clean-emissions vehicles, but their plan alone makes health care available for port drivers.

If you believe that, look here at what the Port of Long Beach consultant actually said (hint: think state-sponsored, taxpayer-funded safety net). On second thought, just send me an email. I've got a bridge I want to sell you.

Maybe the staff and commissioners who devised this industry-giveaway policy could sign up for the same kind of education the Harbor and Tidelands committee rightfully and responsibly recommended to the full Long Beach Council.