Los Angeles Harbor Commissioners have reached a historic settlement with environmentalists, community and labor groups to mitigate pollution from necessary Port expansion projects. Here are some of the reasons The Road is celebrating:

1. Under the leadership of Councilwoman Janice Hahn and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the Port of LA listened to all the stakeholders, and the result is a model for future growth initiatives that include a $50 million, five-year community mitigation fund to coincide with a green light on the TraPac terminal expansion project.

2. In fact, one environmental lawyer applauded the ability of key decision makers to roll up their sleeves and get down to business. Adrian Martinez of the Natural Resources Defense Council noted "The settlement creates a venue for environmentalists and the ports to solve problems related to pollution from operations." At the same time, LA Harbor Commission President David Freeman praised green activists: "The entire environmental community is giving its blessings to Mayor Villaraigosa's green growth program. We will work together on all future [projects] and not resort to litigation.

3. It sets in motion immediate steps to curb the public health crisis plaguing harbor communities. Among other initiatives, the Port of LA will direct millions of dollars to the purchase of air filters for area primary and secondary schools.

4. On the heels of the LA Clean Trucks Program, which will reduce diesel emissions from port trucks by 80 percent while encouraging the creation of good, middle-class jobs, the settlement reaffirms LA's status as home to "America's Port" and the nation's leader in green growth.

5. The win-win solution has business leaders just as pleased as environmentalists. LA Chamber of Commerce President Gary Toebben told the LA Times: "The TraPac expansion will improve air quality, create good-paying jobs and strengthen our region's largest economic engine." [Note: That the Chamber president is touting middle-class paychecks is a key sign Councilwoman Hahn has made it clear to the suits that harbor community residents must be able to share in the benefits of port growth too.]

7. Additional measures such as the establishment of a non-profit organization to oversee the distribution of funds will ensure the community is able to use current and future expansion projects as a lever for meaningful environmental improvements.

8. The agreement may put an end to the legacy of acrimony that has halted all port expansion since 2001, when community residents and environmentalists legally blocked the China Shipping terminal expansion project.