After a full day of testimony by more than 100 people in
favor of and opposed to the project, the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Commission on
March 7 approved an environmental impact report for the proposed Southern
California International Gateway (SCIG) intermodal rail yard.
With the EIR now approved, construction is due to begin
later this year on the near-dock rail yard, which would transfer containerized
cargo between trucks and railcars about four miles north of the Los Angeles and
Long Beach ports, primarily on land owned by the City of Los Angeles Harbor
Dept., as well as on adjacent private land in Los Angeles, Long Beach and
Carson.
The near-dock rail container transfer facility represents a private
investment of more than $500 million by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway,
which plans to develop and operate the nation’s greenest intermodal rail yard
on a 185-acre site.
The project had major support from local labor unions, which
touted the hundreds of jobs the project is expected to create, however it was
decried by local residents and environmental activists who have said that the
facility would bring more noise and air pollution to an area that has already
suffered from plenty of both over the years due to port-related activities.
Among those testifying against the EIR was Long Beach Mayor
Bob Foster, who said the impacts on those living near the project would be too
great. He, like dozens of others who testified, urged the board to send the EIR
back for revision.
Among those for the EIR was Steve Agor, director of business
development for civil engineering company Skanska USA, who testified that he
believed BNSF would act in the best interest of the region.
“At Skanska, we live, work and play within the communities
in which we construct major infrastructure project,” he said. “We take great
efforts to employ skilled, available, local work force. BNSF’s SCIG project
mirrors our core value to provide sustainable solutions, in a safe and fiscally
responsible manner.”
Although the Harbor Commission didn’t reject the EIR, it did
amend language in a project condition requiring BNSF to implement new
zero-emission technologies after the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach both
determine it is technically, operationally and commercially feasible.
The Harbor Commission also amended an EIR mitigation measure
to require BNSF to implement other emission reduction technology after it
becomes technically, operationally and commercially feasible.
The project is expected to reduce truck traffic, freeway
congestion and air pollution by eliminating about 1.3 million truck trips
annually along a 24-mile stretch of the Long Beach (710) Freeway to BNSF’s
Hobart Yard near downtown LA.
Construction is due to begin later this year could create an
estimated 1,500 direct and indirect jobs per year over three years, according
to BNSF. The rail yard is expected to generate up to 1,096 long-term jobs at
full capacity when it opens in 2016.
