City Government
OP-ED: My Word- Supporting cleaner air, commerce, and local jobs
By Sandre Swanson and Chris Lytle, Oakland Tribune
The city and Port of Oakland have been working for several months with a group of independent truckers who face a Jan. 1 deadline to replace their rigs to meet state air quality regulations that will allow residents to breathe easier. We are writing to update the public on this important issue.
Truckers work hard, long hours and help make Oakland the fifth busiest container seaport in the United States, as well as a major export gateway and job generator for our region.
Truckers have raised concerns we’re committed to addressing, including issues with compensation and long wait times to get into port terminals.
The port has established a working group in which all the stakeholders are seeking solutions together. We also brought industry and regulatory leaders to the table to meet with the truckers.
At the same time, our commitment to California clean-air standards is unwavering. Residents and workers in West Oakland have long faced serious health issues associated with the air they breathe.
Especially at risk are our most vulnerable residents, including seniors and children.
Together we have already reduced diesel particulate emissions from port trucks by 88 percent since 2005, but there’s more to be done. To further protect our residents and our environment, we must ensure that every truck that does business at the port continues to meet the emissions standards set five years ago.
State and federal agencies have allowed multiple deadline extensions and are not offering more.
The port and other regional and state agencies have made available $38 million in funding to help truckers achieve these upgrades, and most of them have upgraded already. We continue to pursue solutions for all truckers:
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is ready to provide grants to replace as many as 100 trucks for on-road service. (Trucks not serving ports have a few more years to comply with the latest clean air rules).
The California Air Resources Board is offering loan guarantees for truckers who need financial assistance to upgrade their trucks.
Some shipping companies have increased fees and payments to help pay for upgrades. We are asking the industry to continue to negotiate.
And we have worked to reduce truck turnaround times so that there are less emissions from idling trucks.
Now a few hundred truckers are announcing illegal work stoppage plans that would hurt the other estimated 85 percent of truck owners at the port who have already invested in upgrading their rigs. Those who made the upgrades must be able to work to pay off that investment.
Stoppage would also slow commerce and damage perishable goods for shippers who employ thousands of people. And it would hurt the port itself, which is working to grow economic opportunities for the whole region.
We will continue to look for more options to help, but we cannot allow illegal work blockages at the port. Together, we hope we can resolve these issues for the good of all.
Sandre Swanson is deputy mayor of Oakland and Chris Lytle is director of the Port of Oakland
. |
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
Alameda County
DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland
Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.
Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.
City Government
Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall
At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.
Special to The Post
At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.
Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.
Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”
According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.
“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”
When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.
At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”
While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.
On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.
“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.
The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.
-
Community2 weeks ago
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business2 weeks ago
V.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Community2 weeks ago
AG Bonta Says Oakland School Leaders Should Comply with State Laws to Avoid ‘Disparate Harm’ When Closing or Merging Schools
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
-
Community2 weeks ago
Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
-
Community2 weeks ago
Richmond Nonprofit Helps Ex-Felons Get Back on Their Feet
-
Community2 weeks ago
RPAL to Rename Technology Center for Retired Police Captain Arthur Lee Johnson