Protest a Port with Tom Morello Today!

“Now why do I care about the Port of Long Beach?”

This is something an average person in Orange County might say. Out of sight, out of mind. But in reality the busy ports of both Long Beach and Los Angeles, with all the shipping and trucking involved, generates a truly lung-busting amount of pollution. Surely people would leap at the chance to minimize such pollution and try to decrease the shocking amount of pollution-related disease in Long Beach, right? Right?

Think again. Hot off the transom from some concerned citizens of Long Beach (among them Nadia Afghani, former Weekling and one of the brighter stars in the night sky) comes news that the one and only Tom Morello, of Rage Against the Machine fame, will join protesters as they demand the Port of Long Beach work with the Port of Los Angeles to minimize pollution.

Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave) has agreed to join Long Beach community members and concerned citizens as we protest the Port of Long Beach and Mayor Foster's decision to abandon its commitment to working with the Port of LA to find a sustainable solution to the port trucking crisis.
It is taking a “go it alone” approach, and it plans to hold a vote on its deeply flawed program THIS TUESDAY (2/19) at 1pm.

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The Port is rushing a vote in an attempt to minimize the opportunity for public review of the just-released program, and public input at the meeting.

It is essential that we get dozens of Long Beach residents to attend this meeting on Tuesday. The meeting will be in the Board Room of the Harbor Department Administration Building, 925 Harbor Plaza at 1pm.

The Port of LB's plan virtually guarantees that any emissions gains from a truck replacement program are short-lived, as a sustainable program would require
trucking companies to take full accountability for their trucks and their drivers. Long Beach residents must demand stronger leadership from their city's elected and appointed representatives! Asthma rates in Long Beach are too high (19%), which is DOUBLE the state average. Port trucking accounts for 30-40% of the pollution associated with the ports, and environmental gains of upwards of 80% could be achieved by a comprehensive trucking program.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON TUESDAY!! JOIN US!

For more information and to confirm your attendance, please contact Sameerah Siddiqui @ 951-271-1338. Thank you!

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