The Sustainable Freight Action Plan is an executive order from Governor Jerry Brown that calls for $6-8 billion dollars to improve the movement of goods in the State while lowering emissions, increasing efficiency, and maintaining a competitive edge. The plan fully addresses the issues mentioned above on land, but essentially stops at the waterline.
Currently, ships entering the San Francisco Bay and other ports in California have to be light-loaded because the channels are too shallow due to a lack of funding for necessary dredging. This is slowing the movement of goods and increasing the emissions in the State because more ships now have to come through since each ship can’t be fully loaded with goods. This is highly inefficient and the opening of the new Panama Canal could have more ships bypassing California ports than ever before.
This topic is unique as well because it will have the support of the labor force and the environmental organizations. This will not only decrease emissions, but will also call for using the dredged material to restore wetlands and protect our shoreline roads, rail, and infrastructure from flooding due to sea level rise.
This is an issue that can be addressed with a relatively low cost in tens of millions compared to the billions already being asked for in the plan. Funding dredging activities and the beneficial reuse of the sediment has incredibly high value for the movement of goods in California and should be included in the Sustainable Freight Action Plan.
For more information on how BPC is involved in this effort, please CONTACT US with any questions or comments.
–“The Bay Planning Coalition is a non-profit organization well known for its advocacy and credibility in the San Francisco Bay Area corporate and environmental community. When we speak about an issue, legislators and regulators listen.”
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