EPA Approves Southern California’s Policy Cleaning Up Pollution from Mega-Warehouses

September 11, 2024

EPA Approves Southern California's Policy Cleaning Up Pollution from Mega-Warehouses

EPA's approval lights the path for air agencies looking to electrify dirty goods movement operations nationwide

Contacts

Nydia Gutierrez, [email protected]

Los Angeles, CA-

Today, the Environmental Protection (EPA) approved the inclusion of Southern California's Warehouse Indirect Source Rule (ISR) in the state's air plan. This innovative policy is addressing the region's notorious smoggy skies by cutting pollution from the trucks traveling to and from warehouses, electrifying warehouses, and creating local clean energy jobs.

"The green light from the EPA is a clear signal to other air districts across the country looking to address pollution from the rapidly expanding warehouse and logistics industries," said Regina Hsu, senior attorney, Earthjustice. "In Southern California, warehouses are moving ahead of schedule in shifting to zero-emissions solutions - which cannot come soon enough as Southern California experiences a concerning spike in unhealthy air days this summer. As California shows a path forward in the fight against health-harming diesel pollution, it's time for air agencies across the country to take a closer look."

This welcome announcement comes as the region experiences spiking pollution from a surge in port activity. June was the busiest month on record at the Port of Long Beach with imports jumping 53%, contributing to worsening air quality. As a sign of just how urgently these regulations are needed in the region, Southern California's air quality violated federal air standards for 53 straight days of the summer this year.

Since the policy was implemented, recent reporting data shows facilities have acquired 815 new zero-emission trucks and installed 172 new truck charging stations, putting a dent in Southern California's spiraling emissions. At the Port of Long Beach, the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative deployed 50 all-electric trucks and a charging station powered by solar energy and battery storage. The warehouse developer Prologis and the shipping company Maersk have teamed up on their largest electric charging station yet: their new station is capable of charging up to 86 electric trucks at a time. Amazon is also making the shift to electrify. Earlier this year, the e-commerce company announced it will roll out 50 heavy-duty electric trucks that will operate in the South Coast Air Basin, making it the company's largest fleet of electric trucks in the country.

"For years, we have worked with Southern California regulators, communities near mega warehouses, industry operators, and health groups to promote clean air and new green jobs through a strong Warehouse Indirect Source Rule," said Yassi Kavezade, Senior Campaign Advisor at the Sierra Club. "EPA's approval of the rule is a triumph for polluter accountability, opening the door for the cross-sector collaboration necessary to fight the climate crisis ahead. This historic approval will save lives and set a new course for standards across the region."

By approving the South Coast Air Quality Management District's (SCAQMD) plan to reduce pollution from warehouses in the region, EPA has given communities the right to sue so that the rule is properly enforced. The decision also means that EPA can sue if warehouses don't comply with the policy, showcasing the ISR as a new approach other cities and states can implement to meet federal air quality standards.

"It is a historic day for communities impacted by the deadly pollution from the warehousing industry," said Tania Gonzalez, organizer with the People's Collective for Environmental Justice. "We are happy to see that warehouses, especially those that have been wrongfully placed too close to homes and schools in our neighborhoods will have to start taking accountability for the pollution and health harms they cause by transitioning their operations off fossil fuels. We hope this regulation shows our local elected officials that warehousing is a toxic source of pollution and must be addressed."

"Poor communities carry the burden of being exposed to increased pollution, not seeing high paying jobs, and having whole blocks of homes, schools, and small businesses swallowed up to place mega warehouses in our backyards," said Taylor Thomas, Co-Director of East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice. "This regulation marks an acknowledgment of the years of suffering borne by hundreds of thousands of people in our region, and a shift to having the logistics industry be responsible for the vast harms they create and leave behind."

Vast warehouses bump up against homes in Southern California. (David McNew / The New York Times)

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