The nation’s two largest container ports will use the proceeds to fund a $2 billion Clean Trucks Program—$1.6 billion generated by the Clean Trucks Fee and an additional $400,000 million in anticipated grant funding from the state of California —initiative that will replace or retrofit the existing fleet of trucks that serve the San Pedro Bay Ports over the next five years, thereby reducing port related truck emissions 80%.

The $35 fee per loaded TEU will be collected by the ports’ shipping terminals. The fee would not apply to containers entering or leaving the Port by train. Trucks will be monitored for compliance by radio frequency tracking devices or similar identification technologies. All funds collected by the two ports would be used for the replacement of about 16,800 trucks by 2012 with clean diesel trucks, or trucks fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG) or other approved technologies that can achieve the 2007 standard adopted in the ports’ Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP).

The fee tariff would end when the fleet of drayage trucks meet CAAP requirements, around 2012.

In November, the Long Beach and Los Angeles Boards of Harbor Commissioners approved a ban on old, dirty trucks that call at the ports. The ban will be phased in, beginning 1 October 2008 with a ban on all trucks built before 1989. By 1 January 2010, only trucks built after 1993 will be allowed, and by 1 January 2012 all trucks must meet 2007 federal EPA standards.