The Los Angeles Harbor Commission has approved up to $44.2 million in Port funding toward the 2009 Clean Truck Incentive Program at the Port of Los Angeles. The 2009 incentives will be used to help bring trucks into service at the Port that run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG), or lithium battery electric power. This initiative follows a successful 2008 incentive program that put into service more than 2,200 trucks that currently meet or exceed 2007 U.S. EPA emission standards. Since the launch of the Clean Truck Program on Oct. 1, 2008, pollution at the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex has been reduced by more than 23 percent.

"Our goal is to put 1,000 alternative fuel trucks into service through our 2009 Clean Truck Incentive Program, and the funding our board just approved is a major step in that direction," said Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D. "Natural Gas technologies offer a variety of environmental benefits that make them a good fit for drayage in this market. Through this program we will help truck operators purchase alternative fuel trucks and continue our aggressive efforts to reduce port truck emissions."

The funds will be used to offer concessionaires in the Port of Los Angeles Clean Truck Program (CTP) incentives of up to $80,000 for each LNG or CNG truck they purchase. Port terminal operators or concessionaires can also receive up to 80 percent of negotiated cost for each electric truck they purchase for terminal or drayage truck use. Because the Port's 1000-truck goal for 2009 (900 LNG/CNG trucks and 100 electric trucks) will cost up to $100 million, the Port is applying for grants from the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and the California Energy Commission (CEC). Within the next 30 days, the Port will publish program guidelines and will begin accepting letters of intent.

A recipient of numerous environmental awards, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2007 Clean Air Excellence Award, the Port of Los Angeles is committed to innovating cleaner, greener ways of doing business. Port officials will be talking to trucking manufacturers, Clean Truck Program participants, and other stakeholders in order to refine an incentive offering that will attract additional program participants.